The Fen Line Users Association (FLUA) has added its voice to renewed calls for long overdue improvements to the railway infrastructure at Ely North Junction.  

FLUA Chairman, John Grant, was among those who travelled to Westminster on June 19 to join rail industry representatives and members of the East of England All Party Parliamentary Group for the launch of “Keeping Trade on Track”, a comprehensive document produced by leading regional transport bodies Transport East and England’s Economic Heartland which highlights the many benefits that the scheme would bring. 

John said: "Everyone speaking at the meeting was urging that the decisions necessary to 'get Ely done' should be made as a matter of urgency. 

“It will increase freight capacity between Felixstowe and the Midlands, getting lorries off the A14 and freeing up freight capacity around London for trains from the Thames Gateway”. 

He added: “It will also support an hourly service through Soham and Manea and most importantly for west Norfolk, it will finally allow the Fen Line between King’s Lynn and Ely to have the half-hourly service throughout the day that was promised for 2014. 

Those who attended signed a joint letter of support for the scheme which has been sent to Mark Harper, Secretary of State for Transport and Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer. 

FLUA Secretary Mark Collins added: “Following the meeting we have written separately to the Secretary of State and Chancellor outlining the importance of this project which has huge support locally, including from Cambridgeshire MP’s Lucy Frazer and Steve Barclay and Nik Johnson, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.  

“The scheme has a very high benefit-cost ratio with Network Rail’s business case predicting that every £1 spent at Ely would generate benefits of £ 4.89.  

“It would also deliver significant environmental gains which would help achieve the UK’s legally binding agreement to reach net-zero by 2050.”