East of England All-Party Parliamentary Group
The East of England APPG brings together East of England’s MPs and Peers with elected local council leaders, directly elected mayors and police, crime and fire commissioners – as well as senior representatives from the private and third sectors – to give a strong political voice for policies which support the East of England’s economy and environment and promote its potential as a place to work, study, live, visit and invest.
The East of England APPG held its Inaugural meeting of the new Parliament on Wednesday 11th September. MPs, Jess Asato and Andrew Pakes were elected Co-chairs and MPs Marie Goldman and Blake Stephenson were elected Vice-chairs. Thirty five Parliamentarians registered their formal support for the re-establishment of the Group and are listed in the minutes here. The Group has now been formally registered and a copy of this document is here.
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Click here to learn more about the APPG’s previous sessions and to find the details of any upcoming meetings.
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Recent News
Urgent need for new Government to commit to Ely and Haughley Junction Improvements
21 September 2024
Twenty five Parliamentarians and partners of the new East of England APPG sent a letter on the 19th September to the Transport Secretary and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury making the case that improvements to Ely and Haughley rail junctions will be pivotal to Great British Railways meeting its ambitious targets for national rail […]
Charging Up the East of England: a Road Map for Electronic Vehicle Charge Points (EVCPs)
8 November 2022
Held Tuesday 8th November, On Tuesday 8th November the East of England APPG held a roundtable looking at the East of England’s charge point needs. At the meeting Andrew Summers and Naomi Green, the Directors of Transport East and of England’s Economic Heartland, delivered a presentation as did Neil Isaacson, the Chief Executive of Liberty Charge – both of […]
Ensuring the financial resilience of councils:
3 November 2022
Simplifying central government funding and increasing freedom to generate revenue in order for local authorities to be partners in addressing cost of living crisis, net zero and levelling up agendas On the 3rd of November the East of England APPG held a session looking at ensuring the financial resilience of councils in the East of England. […]
Urgent need for new Government to commit to Ely and Haughley Junction Improvements
Twenty five Parliamentarians and partners of the new East of England APPG sent a letter on the 19th September to the Transport Secretary and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury making the case that improvements to Ely and Haughley rail junctions will be pivotal to Great British Railways meeting its ambitious targets for national rail freight growth. They will also have transformational benefits for passengers. Both outcomes support sustainable economic growth which is the primary mission of the new Government.
It went on to point out that committing to these schemes would deliver a triple win for the Department for Transport as they meet DfT strategic priorities:
- Improving the performance on the railways: By increasing capacity and reducing bottlenecks, and stimulating 277,000 extra rail passenger journeys per year. The scheme has a remarkably high benefit-cost ratio, returning £4.89 of benefits for every £1 invested.
- Transforming infrastructure to work for the whole country: The new freight services will primarily serve freight terminals in the Midlands, North and Scotland, and reduce congestion by 5.6 million hours per year (Ely is referenced in the strategies of both Transport for the North and Midlands Connect)
- Delivering greener transport: By supporting modal shift to rail, Ely will remove the need for 98,000 HGV journeys every year, reducing carbon emissions by 1.7m tonnes of CO2 over 60 years.
The letter states that “in October 2023, the previous government confirmed funding would be made available to deliver the Ely and Haughley junction improvements. As you can see regional MPs, Peers, sub-national transport bodies, and other public and private sector stakeholders, remain steadfast in recognising the importance of these schemes.”
The letter therefore asks that when the Department reviews previously committed infrastructure schemes, the new government prioritises investment in Ely and Haughley junction improvements. This includes the early release of required funding to Network Rail/ Great British Railways, so that detailed planning for their delivery can commence.
The letter was reported by BBC East, the East Anglia Daily Times and the Eastern Daily Press
MPS demand action over Ely and Haughley junction revamps | Eastern Daily Press (edp24.co.uk)
MPs want Haughley junction improvements to be prioritised | East Anglian Daily Times (eadt.co.uk)
If you are interested in supporting the East of England APPG then please get in contact via [email protected]