Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with the ports sector on the potential merits of progressing the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement Scheme.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are focused on prioritising the schemes that will make the greatest difference for passengers and support economic growth as quickly as possible. The previous government had committed to a number of projects that were unfunded, including the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement scheme.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement Scheme on the (a) economy and (b) environment.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department recognises the benefits that the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement scheme could bring to the region. The previous government stated their support for the project but did not provide funding for it to progress.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2025 to Question 89316 on Railways: East of England, whether there are civil servants in her Department working on the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement Scheme.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The previous government had committed to a number of projects that were unfunded, including the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE) scheme.
EACE will be kept under review. It is a worthy scheme that will be considered for potential progression in the future as funding becomes available.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Department's Answer of 18 November 2025 to Question 89133 on Railways: East of England, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the (a) freight sector and (b) economy of the pause in work on that programme since 2022.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are focused on prioritising the schemes that will make the greatest difference for passengers and support economic growth as quickly as possible. The previous government had committed to a number of projects that were unfunded, including the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement scheme.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Department's Answer to Question 89264 on Railways: East of England, answered on 18 November 2025, if she will make an estimate of the funding required for Network Rail to undertake detailed planning for the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement Scheme.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State updated Parliament on the 8th of July regarding which rail and road infrastructure projects will progress following the completion of the 2025 Spending Review. The Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE) was not among those projects funded at this time.
The previous government had committed to a number of infrastructure projects that were unfunded, this included the EACE scheme.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department plans to respond to correspondence of 1 September 2025 from the hon. Member for Ely and East Cambridgeshire on the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement Scheme.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A reply was sent by Lord Hendy on 18 November. I would like to apologise for the delay in replying.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many civil servants in her Department are working on the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement Scheme.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The previous government had committed to a number of projects that were unfunded, including the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE) scheme.
EACE will be kept under review. It is a worthy scheme that will be considered for potential progression in the future as funding becomes available.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to make public transport affordable for young people.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government knows how important affordable public transport services are in enabling young people to get to education, work and access vital services.
The Government has taken action to keep the cost of bus travel lower by introducing a £3 cap on single fares in England outside London, and confirmed at the Spending Review that this would be extended until March 2027. At present, the majority of bus services operate on a commercial basis by private operators, and any decisions regarding the level at which fares are set outside the scope of the Government’s £3 bus fare cap are commercial decisions for operators. Bus operators can choose to offer discounted fares for young people, and in the year ending March 2025, youth discounts were offered by at least one commercial bus operator in 73 out of 85 local authority areas in England outside London.
As part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government allocated over £1 billion to support and improve bus services in 2025/26. This includes £712 million for local authorities, which can be used to expand services and improve reliability, which are currently massive obstacles for too many people. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has been allocated £10.6 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, which could include introducing new fares initiatives to reduce the cost of bus travel for young people.
With regard to rail, under-16s receive 50 per cent off all adult rail fares, and the 16-17 Saver railcard extends this discount to 16 and 17-year-olds. Season tickets purchased with a valid 16-17 Saver can be used for an additional 4 months after the railcard expires, to help make rail travel more affordable for young people who remain in education past their 18th birthday.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she last met with freight companies to discuss the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement Scheme.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Rail Minister regularly meets with the freight industry to discuss a range of issues.
The previous government had committed to a number of projects that were unfunded, including the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE)
EACE will be kept under review. It is a worthy scheme that will be considered for potential progression in the future as funding becomes available.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has considered allowing railcards to be used for (a) weekly, (b) monthly and (c) annual rail tickets.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Season tickets already provide significant savings to the cost of rail travel, which can exceed the savings provided by railcards in many cases. Although there are no current plans to extend the validity of railcards, the Government recognises their value. That is why the Railways Bill gives Great British Railway the flexibility to update and evolve concessionary offers as passenger needs change.
The 16-17 Saver and the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card already permit holders to purchase discounted season tickets.