Ely and Haughley rail projects at risk of cuts, businesses fear

The upgrade to Haughley junction in Suffolk was last costed at £20m

Business leaders said they were seeking "reassurance" about major rail projects after they appeared to be dealt a financial blow in the Budget.

Suffolk Chamber of Commerce said it was concerned there would be cuts to improvements in Ely, Cambridgeshire, and Haughley near Stowmarket, Suffolk.

It has written to Transport Secretary Mark Harper and local MPs.

The Department for Transport (DfT) said it was "not accurate to draw conclusions from the Budget".

'Reduces the chances'

The chancellor's spring statement, which did not mention either project, included a fall in transport resource spending from £8.2bn this year to £5.7bn in 2024-25, the chamber said.

The Haughley junction, north of Stowmarket, connects the London to Norwich line with the branch line, which runs to Newmarket, Peterborough and the Midlands.

Rail lines from Peterborough, King's Lynn in Norfolk, March in Cambridgeshire, Cambridge, Ipswich and Norwich all converge on Ely.

Stephen Britt, chair of the Suffolk chamber's transport and infrastructure group, said: "This news of big departmental cuts further reduces the chances that the necessary work to significantly move the project forward will begin in the near future - if at all."

Paul Simon, Suffolk chamber's head of public affairs, added: "We need urgent clarification as to what this might mean for the Ely [and] Haughley schemes, as we are worried that these significant budget cuts might make it even less likely that much needed on-site work can commence.

"We are writing to our current MPs, Secretary of State Mark Harper, Rail Minister Huw Merriman and their respective shadow ministers seeking answers and reassurance."

The chamber said it had been lobbying ministers in recent months to commit to releasing funds for detailed onsite work at Ely and to approve the approximate £20m cost of Haughley junction.

The upgrade to the Ely North junction was supposed to start in 2017

Peter Aldous, the Conservative MP for Waveney and chairman of the East of England all-party Parliamentary group, told the BBC he would also push for a response.

"It is important that planning for this much needed rail infrastructure project proceeds without delay," he added.

A DfT spokesperson said it was committed to delivering the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement, backed by funding previously allocated to the HS2 rail project.

"It is not accurate to draw conclusions on the completion of rail projects from the Budget," a DfT spokesperson said.

"Network Rail have developed the scheme to outline business case stage and the next steps will involve further investment case development and delivery."