It’s time to make good on commitments to Ely and the East of England. Rail bosses in the region want commitments to improvements. They are emphasising the need for the UK government to stick to the pledges made more than six months ago. Freight and passenger services are being hampered, say the management at a major passenger operator in the area.
The abandonment of the northern leg of HS2, between Birmingham and Manchester, was supposed to release funds for other projects. That’s the understanding of rail bosses and elected representatives in the East of England. However, they say no progress has been made, and the lack of certainty is impacting not just the region but the economy of the UK at large.
Specific reference to East of England bottleneck
Back in October last year, the UK prime minister Rishi Sunak famously cancelled the high-speed rail project to Manchester. Ironically, he chose to do so while addressing a party political conference … in Manchester. Sunak compounded the insult by saying that funds would be redirected to other projects around the country. He specifically made reference to resolving a bottleneck that severely restricts the flow of intermodal freight trains. It’s a chokepoint to and from the Port of Felixstowe, linking logistics distribution hubs in the Midlands and the North.
At the heart of this issue lies Ely. The railway layout there poses significant challenges. Ely serves as a nexus for rail traffic. Five lines converge on the town, including a critical freight route connecting Felixstowe with logistics distribution centres in the Midlands and the North of England, and Scotland. However, improving layouts and junctions is problematic. The flat, low-lying Fen Land complicates any alterations, especially at-grade level crossings, where there is difficulty diving under due to water table issues, and neighbouring property makes flying over an unattractive option.
Delays in critical infrastructure upgrades
Nevertheless, no progress has been made on the long-standing plans held by the infrastructure agency Network Rail. The Ely Area Capacity Enhancement project (EACE) is stalled and awaiting funding. Jonathan Denby, the head of corporate affairs for passenger train operator Greater Anglia, is not impressed. He told local media that the region is unable to fully leverage his company’s substantial 1.4 billion pound (1.65 billion euro) investment in new trains.
Denby says the problem is down to delays in critical infrastructure upgrades, principally the EACE project. Despite the prime minister’s announcements last year, nothing has happened. The government has yet to confirm funding or timelines for their implementation. The initial estimate of 500 million pounds (585 billion euro) for the project was made back in January 2020. The cost has likely increased considerably due to rising construction costs and inflation.
Add significantly to intermodal dispatches
In an interview with a local newspaper, Denby stressed the urgent need for progress on the Ely area upgrades. He reiterated the project’s significant regional and national benefits. Felixstowe is already aggressively expanding rail freight operations and would like to add significantly to the 35 intermodal trains dispatched each day.
Denby would also like to double Greater Anglia passenger services between Ely and King’s Lynn, Ipswich, and Peterborough, and add extra services between Norwich and Cambridge. Currently, the infrastructure doesn’t allow for that level of expansion.
Waiting for the bounty to be distributed
Greater Anglia says that passenger numbers have surpassed pre-pandemic levels and continue to rise. That makes extra services even more vital. Felixstowe is already Britain’s busiest intermodal rail terminal, with a stated policy to increase rail services even further.
Without addressing the current limitations in infrastructure, the full potential of neither freight nor passenger services can be realised. Denby reiterated his call for the government to make good on its commitments. However, his is not the only voice calling for action. Ely and the East of England is not the only region waiting for Westminster’s HS2 bounty.
