By David Ralph, chief executive, Haven Gateway

THE A14 corridor – including the A14 road itself and the Felixstowe to Nuneaton (F2N) rail route – provides one of the two routes recognised by the Government as nationally strategic corridors servicing the Haven ports and supporting housing and economic growth. The other vital corridor is the A12/A120/Great East Main Line.

We think we have done well in securing major investment, including twin-tracking the Ipswich Northern Chord on F2N, but the planned A14 upgrading scheme – Ellington to Fen Ditton, with a price tag of more than £1.1 billion, was a casualty of last year’s spending review.

Without doubt, these improvements would deliver significant return on investment, not only supporting the Haven ports and growth in Ipswich, Bury, Stowmarket, etc., but also being fundamental to the growth plans of Cambridgeshire, Huntingdon and Northants.

The Department for Transport itself describes the A14 as a road with national, regional and local functions. The A14 is designated the main east-west strategic route between the east coast ports, particularly Felixstowe, the UK’s largest container port, and the Midlands. It has been identified as a priority Trans European Network (TEN) route. And the section of the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon – which so frequently grinds to a halt – also caters for north-south traffic between the A1(M) a Alconbury and the M11 junction 14.

But in October last year, the scheme was cancelled – it was judged simply too expensive in the context of the cuts. At that time, with the support and help of the East Anglian Daily Times, the Haven Gateway called for an A14 Task Force to be established. Last week (July 5) saw that aspiration become reality, with a first meeting with Government, which has agreed to work with stakeholders to look at alternative (sic. cheaper) solutions.

Inevitably this called for another study. However, the mood of the inaugural meeting was clear – a desire to move rapidly towards solutions, albeit with everybody recognising that there is less money around.

In the new order of things, the Haven Gateway attended the meeting as a representative of the New Anglia LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership). This is very helpful, as we can also keep Essex in the loop – Essex also recognises the importance of these improvements.

I am ever the optimist and at least we have an ongoing dialogue with Government which is in place to find solutions quickly. I am sure the outcome won’t be the all-singing, all-dancing solution previously proposed but maybe through effective and innovative collaborative working we can deliver timely solutions that will achieve two things on the ‘wish list’ – that more containers are transported by rail, and improved strategic infrastructure is provided to support both local growth and UK plc.