Ely North Junction is widely recognised as a bottleneck in the area for both freight and passenger trains, and East Cambridgeshire District Council members are calling on the Government for an urgent rethink on its funding.

Council members have expressed their concern that in June’s announcement regarding the progress of 50 rail and road schemes, Ely North Junction was not included.

Solving the bottleneck would cost around £500m, but the council says that it also has one of the highest cost/benefit rations of any project, returning an estimated £4.89 for every £1 spent.

The scheme would open up the possibility of more passenger services but also would allow for 2900 services a year from Felixstowe, removing 100,000 HGV journeys each year.

“It is now 23 years since the first business case for upgrading the junction was made, and yet successive governments have failed to make the investment in this vital piece of infrastructure for our region, and for the country.

“The council has agreed to call on the government to release funds for planning the project, conduct a rapid departmental review of the scheme and its benefits to present to the Treasury, and listen to the concerns of the local MP, businesses, and stakeholders including this council of the impact of further delay.”

Cllr Mark Inskip, who brought the motion to council