That this House supports the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement Scheme, which would upgrade the vital Ely North Rail Junction to add more capacity to the rail network for both passenger services and rail freight; notes that it would remove 98,000 lorry journeys and create 277,000 more passenger journeys each year thereby reducing congestion on the roads, relieving the strain on road infrastructure, and reducing CO2 emissions; further notes that the scheme has the backing of a number of important stakeholders including five sub-national transport bodies, Rail Freight Group, and four Chambers of Commerce; acknowledges that the scheme has an excellent benefit-cost ratio of 4.89 and would bring nation-wide benefits to the economy and environment by moving more freight quickly and efficiently by rail rather than on HGVs; and calls on the Government to update the scheme’s business case, engage with stakeholders across the rail sector to explore funding options, and set out a timeline for investment.
