A Win for Stowmarket, but More to Do Elsewhere

I am delighted that the long-awaited footbridge at Stowmarket is now in place and close to being open. This new bridge, fitted with lifts, is an extremely welcome sight given the lengthy delays which caused unnecessary extra struggle for residents.

But progress can’t stop there. Too many people are still forced to cross busy tracks on the Ipswich-Cambridge line, including at Thurston.

I asked the Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, about improving the safety of rail crossings. Suffolk has seen several near‑miss incidents at level crossings in recent years, demonstrating the need for upgrades, closures, or better monitoring. Even when accidents are avoided, near‑misses highlight systemic risks that need addressing.

New housing developments around Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket, and Ipswich mean more people living near rail lines and more road traffic crossing them. Without improvements, risk naturally rises as usage increases.

Rail safety must come first, in the constituency and across the country.