James Wild MP has proposed amendments to the Railways Bill which would force the government to consider Ely Junction as a capacity constraint, pushing the government to deliver on the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement scheme.
The proposed changes would require ministers to take account of the Ely Junction bottleneck in future planning, increasing pressure on the government to move forward with the long-awaited scheme.
James has been campaigning for improvements to Ely Junction since he was first elected repeatedly raising the issue in Parliament and with ministers as a critical barrier to both passenger and freight growth. Upgrading the junction would unlock major benefits, including more frequent passenger services to King’s Lynn and increased freight capacity. The project is estimated to deliver benefits of £5 for every £1 invested.
The project was approved and funded by the previous government in October 2023 as part of changes to HS2. However, as with other transport projects in the East, the current government has paused the scheme. James’ amendments aim to ensure ministers cannot continue to overlook a long-recognised problem, strengthening the case for delivering a much needed scheme.
James said:
“Ely Junction is a major constraint on both passengers and businesses across our region which was recognised by the last Conservative government backing the scheme.
“My amendments highlight this long-standing bottleneck and give the government the opportunity to finally act and improve passengers services to Lynn and beyond, as well increasing freight capacity.”
