Tory MEPs celebrate EU funding success

Tory MEPs celebrate EU funding success: East of England to receive £8 million for rail improvements

Local Conservative MEPs have expressed their delight at the announcement that £8 million of European funding has been granted for train line improvements in East Anglia.

On Wednesday (21 October), the European Commission released details of the first group of projects that will benefit from a total of €500 million worth of investment in vital transport infrastructure projects across the EU.

One of only three projects awarded funds in the UK is the Felixstowe to Nuneaton railway enhancement works.  The EU is contributing 20% of the £42m development, which will allow more freight to be transported by rail.   It is hoped this will alleviate congestion on the busy A14.

Conservative MEPs for the East of England, Geoffrey Van Orden, Robert Sturdy and Vicky Ford, were integral to the process, putting pressure on Network Rail and the Department for Transport for many years to make a bid for European money.

When an application was finally submitted earlier this year, the three Tory MEPs pushed hard for it to be accepted, with Mr Van Orden using his role on the Parliament's Transport Committee to ensure its success.

Mr Van Orden commented, "We have been fighting for this for years - we are delighted to have secured such a significant sum of money to benefit the people of East Anglia.  EU funding is in reality nothing more than British tax-payers money recycled through Brussels, so it's important we see more of it being put to good use for local benefit."

Mr Sturdy said, "We are pleased to see this official announcement from the Commission that they are supporting this project.  This money will bring much needed improvements to the Eastern Region's transport infrastructure."

Mrs Ford added, “This is excellent news for those of us who are fed up with traffic jams.   Making adaptations to the railway network to allow East-West freight to travel by rail provides a cost-efficient alternative infrastructure.   During these severe economic times we need to make sure that we get every possible penny back from Europe for investment in the UK.   In last June’s election we promised that we would fight for this money and it is good to be able to deliver that promise for the people of East Anglia.” 

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