Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Oral Answers to Questions

Nick Timothy Excerpts
Thursday 8th January 2026

(2 days, 21 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Heidi Alexander Portrait Heidi Alexander
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I would be very happy to ask the Rail Minister to meet my hon. Friend. I fully appreciate the importance of direct services to London, and we will make sure that we look at the detail of what has happened in this situation and see whether any mitigations can be put in place.

Nick Timothy Portrait Nick Timothy (West Suffolk) (Con)
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Communities near Cambridge, such as the towns and villages of West Suffolk, need better transport connections, especially given the new housing developments. The wider east needs the Ely-Haughley upgrade, and we need a dualled line from Cambridge to Newmarket and a new rail link to Haverhill. Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss how developments and transport policies can be better aligned in the east of England?

Heidi Alexander Portrait Heidi Alexander
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I would be happy to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss these issues. I am aware of the significance of the Ely-Haughley junction improvements. It was not possible to fund that scheme in the spending review, but it is part of the longer-term pipeline that we are looking at, not least because of the important freight links to the port in Felixstowe that could be improved. I would be happy to have a further conversation on the wider issues.