Key East of England bodies, representing local government, transport, and business across the region, hosted an event at the Labour Party Conference Fringe reaffirming their desire to see key transport infrastructure delivered in the region. They have also warned that without this key investment, the East of England will be held back.
Chaired by BBC Look East political editor Andrew Sinclair, the East of England Local Government Association (EELGA), Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, Transport East, England’s Economic Heartland, Chambers East, and Freeport East hosted a Labour Party Conference Fringe Event . This event highlighted the work being done within the region, affirm the region’s need for further development, and raise awareness of the two newest reports published by the region, Opportunity East and Keeping Trade on Track.
Daniel Zeichner MP and Minister of State for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), gave the opening remarks, stressing the need for investment in transport Infrastructure in the Region. Cllr Cliff Waterman of West Suffolk Council, and Mayor Nik Johnson of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, stressed the role of local authorities in the region, the importance of devolution, and the need for key infrastructure to be sensitive to the needs of the area.
Andrew Summers and Naomi Green, Chief Executives of Transport East and Economic Economic Heartland, highlighted the need for connectivity solutions and listed the key priorities for the region.
The event concluded with, Steve Beel, Chief Executive of Freeport East, and Nova Fairbank, Chief Executive of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce and representing Chambers East, who set out the importance of transport infrastructure for business growth and economic development in the East of England.
At the event, these key partners in the East made the case for better rail connections, specifically the upgrade of the Ely and Haughley Junctions, and the acceleration of East-West Rail between Cambridge and Oxford. They also highlighted the disparity in funding received by the East of England compared to the national average – £8bn per year – and asked that this funding be used to deliver vital transportation projects across the area.
The full press release can be found here.