Witham MP backs investment in rail network
Witham MP, Priti Patel, has backed calls for investment in the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML).
Network Rail has submitted a business case for £2.5 million to be invested in Anglia’s rail network over a five year period (2019-2024) and as Chair of the GEML Taskforce, Priti has urged the Office of Rail and Road and the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, to allocate the full amount requested to maintain and renew the railway line. Her call for investment has been supported by Local Enterprise Partnerships, Chambers of Commerce and regional MPs from across Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk.
Priti said:
“Essex and East Anglia have historically missed out on funding from central government for our railway network and passengers who are paying higher fares each year want to see this money coming back to the region for long-term investment.”
“Commuters will be benefiting from new trains being rolled out next year, but we now need renewed infrastructure to ensure that these trains can operate more effectively when introduced. The East Anglia region is an engine of economic growth and this investment in the GEML is crucial to unlocking its economic potential and supporting greater business growth and job creation.”
“My constituents deserve access to a high quality, high performing and world class railway and I will continue to push for greater investment in our region’s rail network.”