Case for improvements to Norwich to London rail line handed to the Government

Norwich train station. Credit: ITV News Anglia

There are fresh calls for more investment along the Great Eastern Mainline which runs from Norwich to London Liverpool Street.

Local MPs and business leaders have put together a new case for improvements which they've handed to the Government.  The report shows how the rail line plays a key role in the region's growth and calls for faster trains to unlock more economic opportunities.

There are calls for faster hourly trains from Norwich to London, known as 'Norwich to London in ninety', launched in 2019. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Giles Watling MP, Chair of the Great Eastern Main Line Taskforce, met Chris Heaton-Harris MP, Minister of State for Transport, to deliver a copy of the new Case for Investment to the government.

The report calls for a range of key rail improvements including:

  • Bow junction re-modelling and infrastructure improvements.

  • Improved signalling between Shenfield and Colchester.

  • Line speed improvements to give hourly 90-minute services between London and Norwich would also give much faster journeys to Colchester/Ipswich

The improvements could generate up to £9.3bn in economic benefits, kick start tens of thousands of jobs along the route and create more than 4,000 construction jobs while the improvements are made.

The Great Eastern Main Line Taskforce was established in 2013 and brings together the region's MPs, local authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships, Chambers of Commerce and local businesses, with support from Greater Anglia and Network Rail.

Since then, a number of improvements have been made, including the new £1.4bn Greater Anglia train fleet, which is now being rolled out across the network.

The Taskforce says the new trains are already helping to deliver performance improvements, but investment in the rail infrastructure is needed to achieve further increases in reliability and resilience for faster services and reduced journey times.

The report also looks at economic growth and found:

  • Delivering the Great Eastern Main Line package of improvements could generate up to £9.3bn in economic benefits.

  • Unlock an additional £1.3bn of capital investment along the route.

  • Create 4,150 temporary construction jobs.

  • Create 5,100 new jobs in Norwich, 5,400 in Ipswich, 10,000 in Colchester, 8,400 in Chelmsford and 3,700 new jobs in Southend.