Priti pushes Government for timetable on Witham station upgrades

The Member of Parliament for Witham, Priti Patel, has written to both the Department for Transport and Greater Anglia pushing for a firm commitment to the Witham Station upgrade plans, calling for a clear timetable for the funding decisions to be made, so that building work can commence without further delay.

Following Priti’s previous campaigning for improvements to rail infrastructure in the region, which secured £1.4b in new rolling stock to transform passenger services, she is now calling for a firm plan and timetable to deliver investment into upgrading Witham Station.

Greater Anglia received planning permission in October 2019 to redevelop and deliver improvements at the Station. The plans for the scheme include the construction of a new multi-storey car park, as well as a new ticket office and booking hall, but construction work at the Station was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In prior representations on this matter to the previous Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, earlier in the year, when Priti pressed for funding to be made available to deliver improvements at the Station without delay, he advised that Greater Anglia were due to review progressing the Witham Station re-development project within their budgets for the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25, in the Autumn.

Priti said: “Local rail users are eager for work at Witham Station to commence as quickly as possible to deliver these vital improvements, as well as the much-needed car parking capacity upgrades. Greater Anglia have stated their commitment to these works and I look forward to updates from both the Department and Greater Anglia, with a timetable for the construction to begin.”

---