Calls to extend the East West Rail project from Cambridge through to Norwich and Suffolk have been tempered by the government, as Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander cautioned that it was “too soon” to discuss further expansion. The comments come after regional leaders said there was a “compelling case” for continuing the cross-country line, which would link Oxford to Cambridge, onwards into East Anglia.

A new report by Transport East, a regional transport lobby group, argued that extending the line beyond Cambridge would deliver major economic benefits for Norfolk and Suffolk. The group believes improved east–west rail connections could unlock growth across the region, boosting sectors such as finance, life sciences, and the creative industries — including those clustered around the Norwich Research Park. It also pointed to the potential of the Norwich to Cambridge tech corridor and the renewable energy economies of Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft as reasons for investment.

During a visit to Norwich Railway Station, Ms Alexander said the East West Rail project was still at an early stage. “We are still in the early phases of delivering that scheme. What we have got to be focused on is making sure we can deliver that scheme to specifications and on budget,” she said. The transport secretary added that she was aware of campaigners’ ambitions but “did not want to get ahead of herself” before the core Oxford to Cambridge line is completed.

The East West Rail scheme aims to reconnect the historic route between the two university cities via Milton Keynes, Bedford, and Bicester, at an estimated cost of between £5.7bn and £6.6bn. Transport East insists that extending it to Norwich would spread the project’s benefits further and help address long-standing weaknesses in east–west transport. The group says better rail links, including more frequent services to Cambridge and beyond, are essential to unlocking opportunities for thousands of people across Norfolk and Suffolk.

Image: Greater Anglia