Cambridgeshire: Rail Improvements

2 July 2012, 10:02 | Updated: 2 July 2012, 10:18

Proposals to improve railways in Cambridgeshire and across the East have been outlined by a group of MPs, councils and businesses.

The East Anglia Rail Prospectus "A 21st Century network for a 21st Century economy" calls for a range of upgrades to railways across the East.

The proposals include:

• Improved infrastructure
• Higher quality trains
• Increased reliability
• Faster journey times

The prospectus also calls for improvements to a number of railway stations and railway junctions in the area, including a call to fully upgrade the Ely North junction to allow more passenger and freight trains to pass through the city.

There are also calls to electrify the railway lines to the east of Cambridgeshire, leading to faster and more frequent connections to Ipswich and Norwich.

Calls for improvements to services to Stansted Airport and London Liverpool Street from the area are also included.

Cambridge MP Julian Huppert said: "Our region is a critical driver of jobs, growth and high-tech innovation - but our rail system is outdated, unreliable and overcrowded.

High-speed, efficient rail travel is working effectively across Europe; it is time we caught up. 

This prospectus gives us the opportunity to change rail travel in East Anglia, not only for the people who live and work here but for those looking to invest here.

Reliable and efficient rail travel and rail freight expansion are critical if we are to unlock East Anglia’s true potential. 

With a fast growing population, if we fail to invest in our railways we risk stifling our region’s economy, jeopardising jobs and crippling businesses. 

It’s not a risk we can afford to take."