Green Party councillors at Mid Suffolk have given a warm welcome to the announcement from Greater Anglia that a Community Rail Partnership (CRP) will finally be established for the Ipswich to Cambridge line which includes four stations in the district.
Mid Suffolk Cabinet member, Councillor Teresa Davis said: “In a time of counting every penny, it is great to show that by working together we can make improvements in our stations and encourage more users to opt for the train”
Green Party councillor Jen Overett, who proposed a motion to Full Council in January this year and gained unanimous cross-party agreement that Mid Suffolk would pro-actively pursue establishing a Community Rail Partnership with Greater Anglia, said: “I’m very pleased that we’ve reached the point of establishing a Community Rail Partnership for the Ipswich to Cambridge line at last. Hopefully it will ensure that our council and local community groups have a greater say in the future of rail travel in our area.
“I look forward to seeing residents in and around Thurston, Elmswell, Stowmarket and Needham Market benefiting from increased investment in our local stations, including potential new projects to improve accessibility, information about local attractions, and initiatives addressing mental health , exclusion and isolation. Taking the train is a very sustainable way of travelling and hopefully this partnership will encourage more people to use the service and will help to make our railways stations a much stronger part of our communities.”