News

2025 has been another fast-moving and impactful year for the Transport East partnership. We set out a clear, united case for why transport investment in the East matters – not just for the East, but for the nation that relies on the region to feed, supply and power it. And we’ve focused on value for partners – growing our data and analytics, convening and advocacy functions to accelerate delivery of the East’s transport priorities.

Collaboration has been at the heart of success

We began the year with our annual Transport Summit, bringing together voices from across the region and beyond. The message was clear: the East is critical to the UK’s economic future and global trading ambitions, and Transport East is helping shape that future through evidence, advice and advocacy.

We took that message on the road too – speaking at REiiF with regional partners to champion long-term infrastructure investment, co-hosting the East of England Net Zero Conference, and more recently supporting Local Government East’s Opportunity East: One Year On report, which highlights the region’s strengths and what’s needed for it to fulfil its potential, and presenting evidence to the East of England APPG on why transport investment in the East is essential to deliver the Government’s housing ambitions.

We have focused effort on our strategic connections and rail has been central to our work this year. Government backing for East West Rail continued, and we reinforced the significant economic and social gains extending scheme could unlock for Norfolk, Suffolk and north Essex. At our East West Rail: Eastern Section Board event, partners showed firm support for building on the existing plans to improve connections beyond Cambridge. The emerging consideration of a Cambridge East station and partial dualling of the line to Newmarket is particularly promising and we’ll be supporting progress throughout 2026.

We organised and led on the inaugural Thameside Taskforce political meeting. Taking  place in November, the meeting brought together MPs along the rail corridor with rail, ports and business representatives in south Essex to deliver a rail-led vision which can support the projected growth and opportunities this part of the region is expecting.

We also hosted our Future of Rail in the East event, bringing Network Rail, c2c, Greater Anglia and regional stakeholders into one room to explore what the next era of rail reform means for our region. We will continue to work closely with these bodies as they transition into the new integrated set up under Great British Railways.

Infrastructure improvements

It’s been encouraging to see major schemes delivered across the East by our partners, including the opening of Beaulieu Park Station – the first new station on the Great Eastern Main Line in a century – supporting new communities around Chelmsford and enhancing connections to the rest of Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and London.

We also saw the Long Stratton Bypass open in Norfolk, removing through-traffic from the town, creating a safer environment for people walking and cycling, giving a town its centre back and paving the way for new homes and growth.

On the Strategic Road Network, work is also ongoing on the A47 improvements, the A12/M25 junction, and National Highways have started preparing for Lower Thames Crossing. Disruption does come with these changes, but the work is important to ensure our roads can continue to effectively support the movement of people and goods long-term.

As part of the Government’s Spending Review, we submitted evidence outlining the investments that would make the greatest difference for our roads and railways. We welcomed commitments to fund improvements on the A12 east of Ipswich, the A10 West Winch Access Road, and the Army and Navy junction in Chelmsford. We also asked for longer-term funding settlements and a freeze on fare caps, so we were delighted when local authorities in the East secured a multi-year transport grant worth £135 million, and nationwide the £3 bus fare cap has been extended to 2027.

Other positive developments include a freeze on rail fares until 2027, the East gaining over 15,000 EV chargers through LEVI funding and additional long-term funding to improve bus services and active transport capability across the region, worth £171m and £55m, respectively.

Supporting Local Authorities and their communities with evidence and insight

As the region’s Sub-national Transport Body, we provide local authorities with tools and insight to support their work. This year, we launched TRIP (Transport Regional Insights Programme), offering a single digital hub for national and regional insight and data. Officers have been using TRIP to support their work throughout the year, with over 100 officers now registered, and we will continue working with them to further develop what TRIP can offer.

In January, we published the findings from the region’s first Travel and Behaviour Survey. 4,000 respondents shared how they travel day-to-day, what challenges they face to choose sustainable travel options, and what changes would encourage alternatives to using a privately owned vehicle for some journeys. Local councils are already using the insight to shape their own plans.

Our Rural Mobility Centre of Excellence also continued to demonstrate its value. This includes supporting the Connected Places Catapult Rural Accelerator programme. We were delighted that four rural mobility pilot schemes who won funding through the programme are from the East, with two of these working with us and using our insight to develop their submissions. Across the nation, eight projects were awarded a total of £1.2m between them. To help promote these innovative projects, we hosted webinars that  provided all of the successful projects the opportunity to share their innovations and inspire others.

The Rural Mobility Centre of Excellence also published important work on the travel challenges faced by 16-24 year olds in rural areas, helping our partners make the case for improvements and develop future services. In our report Rural Roots, Limed Routes, we collated insight from roundtables and a survey of 1,000 young people, providing a solid evidence base to help partners understand the challenges young people face when accessing education, jobs and other early-career opportunities.

We were proud, too, that our rural work was recognised nationally as Transport East was shortlisted for Regional Transport Authority of the Year at the National Transport Awards.

Our rural evidence has also informed our advice to Government through meetings, briefings, consultations, calls for evidence and oral submissions to Select Committees. This includes the Transport Select Committee’s Buses connecting communities’ inquiry and the House of Lords Social Mobility Policy Committee, where we highlighted how young people who live in rural communities often have to compromise on their opportunities due to poor transport and connectivity.

Looking Ahead to 2026

Next year will be another important one for the East. We will continue making a strong, evidence-led case for the transport improvements that help people and businesses thrive. And we’ll keep working with our partners as a single voice to amplify everything our region has to offer. With devolution on the horizon for the region, working together as a partnership will be more valuable than ever to support the region’s future.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the work of the partnership throughout the year. Transport East and our partnership could not have achieved so much without your commitment and collaboration.