Lib Dems demand rail improvements

3.14.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 22nd Jul 2008

Rosalind Wright

At a full council meeting this week the Liberal Democrats will demand that Norwich City Council do everything in its power to lobby for improvements and expansion of the rail network in the region.

It will also be requested that the Council should encourage all Councillors to sign a Downing Street e-petition outlining the urgent need for an inquiry into East Anglian rail services.

Many recent reports on the train service, currently provided by National Express East Anglia, but previously by Anglia Railways and One, have highlighted the inadequacy of a rail link that connects the largest city in the Eastern Region with the capital. Although some have suggested that a high-speed linkage between Norwich and London would be worse for the region, considering the huge costs and the communities that would be subsequently bypassed, it is still the case that the service needs vital improvements.

But according to Network Rail's 'Future Investment Plan' Norfolk will completely miss out on investment to any part of the rail infrastructure from signals, to tracks, to stations. This lack of investment, considering the state of the country's rail network, and specifically the Norwich-London link, is unacceptable to a region aspiring to be a 'centre of growth.'

Eaton Ward Liberal Democrat Councillor Rosalind Wright comments that "The under investment and neglect of our regions rail network is completely unacceptable and the City Council should be lobbying for the required improvements with urgency and rigor in order that Norwich and Norfolk can prosper in the future. We need to be lobbying, signing petitions and making it clear that the current level of service is not good enough."

The Liberal Democrats will demand that Norwich City Council lobby for improvements and expansion to the regions rail network, specifically looking at the link between Norwich and London, but also considering the wider Norfolk network and its influence on economic, environmental and social aspects of living in the country.

More Information:

The petition can be found here http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/eastangliarail/ Please encourage your readers/listeners to sign it.

Cllr Ros Wright will ask the following question at a full meeting of Norwich City Council on Tuesday 17th July at 7:30pm :

"Recent press reports have highlighted the inadequacy of the Norwich-London rail service. Could the Council Leader ensure Council that he is doing everything in his power to lobby for improvements and expansion to the network in the region and will he encourage all Councillors to sign a Downing Street e-petition outlining the urgent need for a public inquiry into rail provision within East Anglia?"

Network Rail's 'Future Investment Plan' can be found here: http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/3851.aspx