Eastern region Liberal Democrats call for upgraded East-West rail link

6.35.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 15th Oct 2007

Ian Wallace speaks in favour of an East-West Rail Link at the Regional Conference

Lib Dems in the East of England are calling for action to get lorries off the A14. In a motion passed at their recent regional conference, Liberal Democrats call for the East-West rail line from Felixstowe to Nuneaton to be upgraded to take rail freight.

South East Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrat Ian Wallace spoke in favour of the motion at the Conference.

"I drive on the A14 every day travelling to work, and have see first-hand just how dangerous and congested it can be," said Ian.

"Upgrading the East-West rail link would mean that lorry freight could be moved off the congested A14, and help make it safer."

The Labour Government failed to bid for European funding to upgrade the rail route, preferring to support two bids for road widening projects.

The full text of the motion is below:

1 This Conference notes:

• the high proportion of accidents on the A14 involving heavy goods vehicles

• that rail freight produces lower carbon emissions than road freight

• that funding is available from the European Union to improve major trans-European transport networks such as the A14 corridor.

2 Conference supports the upgrading of the rail line between Felixstowe and Nuneaton to encourage freight travelling between mainland Europe and the Midlands to travel by rail.

3 Conference therefore condemns the Department of Transport's failure to submit a bid for European funding to improve the East West rail freight link.

4 Conference calls:

• on all members to campaign to get the Labour government to change its mind, and

• on the party's MPs and MEP in the region to seek a meeting with the Labour government minister to put the case for this upgrading.