Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

East Suffolk and Wherry Railway Lines

19 May 2022 · 1 other contributor

Opened by Peter Aldous Con Waveney

Transport

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Peter Aldous raised concerns about east suffolk and wherry railway lines in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • Peter Aldous highlighted the importance of the East Suffolk line and the Wherry line in Lowestoft, marking their 175th anniversary.
  • Morton acknowledged the significance of the East Suffolk line and Wherry line in Lowestoft and noted that new direct services to London Liverpool Street are not currently feasible due to capacity constraints.
  • Morton encouraged Greater Anglia to continue exploring opportunities for improved services, including the introduction of new trains and strong operational performance on these routes.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Peter Aldous Con Waveney

Earlier this month, Peter Aldous highlighted the importance of the East Suffolk line and the Wherry line in Lowestoft, marking their 175th anniversary. The railways have a long history and can continue to bring benefits and job opportunities by improving connectivity, enhancing stations, and supporting sustainable industries like renewable energy and tourism. While there has been progress, such as doubling passenger numbers over ten years and introducing new trains, concerns remain about further improvements being overlooked in favour of major projects elsewhere. Aldous proposed addressing issues like upgrading Haughley junction, connecting services to the national network, reviewing service speeds and frequencies, exploring innovative solutions like alternative-fuelled trains, and improving station infrastructure.

Other contributors (1)
  • Wendy Morton Con Ynys Mon

    Morton thanked Aldous for his debate on the East Suffolk line and Wherry line in Lowestoft. She recognised the importance of these lines to local communities and businesses, especially with growing industries such as green energy and tourism.

Government Response

Wendy Morton

Morton acknowledged the significance of the East Suffolk line and Wherry line in Lowestoft. She noted that new direct services to London Liverpool Street have been considered but are currently not feasible due to capacity constraints on the route. However, she encouraged Greater Anglia to continue exploring opportunities for such a service in the future. Morton highlighted improvements including new trains being introduced by Greater Anglia and strong operational performance on these routes. She also mentioned past investments like the completion of the Beccles loop, which improved timetables and provided an alternative to road journeys.

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