Calls for 'much-needed upgrade' to Cambs railway

A newly-elected Cambridgeshire MP is calling for action on a 'much-needed' upgrade to the Ely railway junction. Charlotte Cane, MP for Ely and East Cambridgeshire, spoke about it in her maiden speech in the House of Commons on Wednesday (November 6).

The junction is a major intersection for passenger and freight traffic. Five railway lines converge here, connecting Norwich, Ipswich, Cambridge, Peterborough, and King's Lynn.

Network Rail said it was currently operating at full capacity, limiting the opportunity for growth of important routes. It is hoped that upgrading the railway would allow more trains to run through Ely and bring better connectivity and reliability for passenger services.

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The revamp also aims to meet the demand for extra rail freight trains as well as remove hundreds of lorries for the roads. It is among a number of local transport projects green-lit following the cancellation of part of the HS2 rail line in October 2023, but there has been a lack of certainty regarding timescales and funding.

In her speech, Charlotte said she was disappointed to hear nothing about funding for the upgrade in the Autumn Budget. She described the revamp as 'much-needed' and is now calling for it to be put forward in the spending review.

She said: "We all want economic growth for this country and the Government need to help us fix Ely junction if we are to get freight to and from the ports and allow us to have that growth. I am a chartered accountant so I know that the business case is unanswerable and I urge the Chancellor to put the funding for the Ely junction upgrade in the spring spending review."

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