Labour Shadow Minister backs Ely Junction upgrades

Labour Shadow Minister backs Ely Junction upgrades

LABOUR Shadow Transport Minister, Stephen Morgan MP, joined Mayor Dr Nik Johnson and business leaders in Cambridge on Monday (26th February) to discuss the urgent need to progress Ely Junction to bolster connectivity across the East and supercharge international trade.  

Government committed to progressing the necessary upgrades to Ely Junction in a Network North announcement by the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, back in October 2023. But sadly, progress has continued to stall, with leaders receiving no further detail despite repeated letters for clarification.  

Dr Nik Johnson, Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough said, “Unlocking Ely Junction transforms the economy, frees-up our roads, and protects the environment.  

“Everyone knows it’s a prudent, intelligent investment in nationally vital infrastructure, which is why the government promised the funding last autumn.  

“All we need now is a green light from the Treasury.  

“I was delighted to be able to welcome the Shadow Rail Minister to the region and highlight why Ely Junction improvements are necessary and long overdue. 

“The Shadow Minister also heard directly from business leaders about the importance of these upgrades.  

“Our message is clear, the longer Government waits, the more expensive the project becomes with rising inflation.  

“We can no longer afford further delays. I will continue to work with partners to ensure this vital transport is delivered for our region.” 

Dr Nik Johnson and Stephen Morgan MP were joined by Naomi Green, Chief Executive of England’s Economic Heartland, Steve Beel, Chief Executive Officer of Freeport East, Phil Smart, Assistant Policy Manager at Rail Freight Group, James Bradley, Strategic Planning Leader at Network Rail, and Charles Baker Senior Public Affairs Manager at Network Rail . 

Stephen Morgan MP said: 

“I was pleased to visit Cambridge today with Mayor Johnson to hear about the impact of improving rail capacity at Ely junction and his work to move the project forward. 

“Rail infrastructure is vital is for economic growth, for connectivity, and to attract investment, which is why the government’s failure to deliver projects on time and to budget in the past decade has been so disappointing. 

“As Shadow Rail Minister I will work with local leaders like Mayor Johnson and industry experts to develop the credible, transformative infrastructure plan the country needs.” 

Back in July 2023, Mayor Dr Nik Johnson Co-Chaired a regional rail summit with former Transport Secretary, Rt Hon Norman Baker. They brought together over 90 politicians, business leaders and Chief Executives to jointly call for the progression of Ely Junction. The summit was followed by a joint letter sent to Government with signatories from across the country, urgently calling for action to be taken.  

However, despite the Prime Minister’s Network North announcement in October 2023, funding still has not been made available and so the project cannot progress.