New prime minister Liz Truss is coming under fresh pressure from her fellow east of England MPs to pump millions into improving two crucial railway junctions.
A group of 21 MPs, peers, business groups, council leaders and rail freight representatives have called for the government to commit to investment in junctions at Ely and Haughley.
Improvements to those junctions, in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, are seen as crucial as capacity issues prevent increased frequency of passenger services and use of routes for freight.
On the eve of her leadership hustings in Norwich last month, South West Norfolk MP Ms Truss - who has previously campaigned for the £450m Ely improvements - said a transport secretary in her government would "look closely" at the issue.
And the East of England All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) has repeated its previous call to Ms Truss to commit to the much-needed improvements - especially as a transport minister had previously signalled some projects would be "cancelled or indefinitely paused".
The group has written to Ms Truss, chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and transport secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan, calling for a rapid decision to back the schemes.
The letter highlights the "significant economic and decarbonisation benefits" planned improvements at Ely will deliver, both to the east and nationally.
They say the planned doubling of freight capacity, alongside increased passenger services on poor frequency routes, will result in the benefits spreading well beyond the east, supporting access and growth in the Midlands and north.
They say improvements at Haughley will cut delays to services on the Great Eastern Main Line and improve reliability for freight trains to and from the Port of Felixstowe.
Waveney Conservative MP Peter Aldous, co-chair of the East of England APPG, said: “Investment in Ely and Haughley rail junctions would be good for UK plc as well as for businesses and communities in the east of England.
"They contribute significantly to meeting government ambitions to deliver growth, to level up the country, achieve net zero, and drive global Britain forward whilst increasing the east of England’s existing net contribution to the Treasury.”
Norfolk MPs who have co-signed the letter include James Wild, Duncan Baker, Jerome Mayhew and George Freeman.
James Palmer, chairman of the business-led Eastern Powerhouse, has also signed.
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