Ely Junction waits for action on Truss rail pledge

Liz Truss, the South West Norfolk MP with a keen interest in rail expansion on her doorstep, was full of enthusiasm for removing Ely North Junction’s notorious bottleneck when she paid a visit to Ely in March 2017, for what seemed a no-brainer at the time.

Nothing has happened since, however, and the remodelling has slipped down the agenda because the Department for Transport considers it may be unaffordable and is exploring other options.

Truss said at the time: “This is a project I first raised with the Department for Transport in 2011, meeting rail ministers as well as lobbying the Transport Secretary on the significant benefits of upgrading the rail junction.

“During the past two years, I have held rail summits pressing for all parties to work together so that a clear understanding of what will be needed in terms of costs and design can be produced.”

She added: “Work can start on developing the scheme in a couple of weeks and will take 24 months to complete. This will then be at the front of the queue for the next round of government funding.”