Latest News and Events

  • New support for firms with green solutions to regional transport challenges

    From electric taxis to bin lorries, a new accelerator will offer bespoke business support to SMEs with ideas to make transport greener.

    England's Economic Heartland has partnered with Connected Places Catapult, the UK’s innovation accelerator for cities, transport, and place leadership, to support the Local Authority Transport Decarbonisation Accelerator.

    The Catapult collaborated with England's Economic Heartland and two local authorities to seek solutions that can help progress towards net zero …

    August 1st 2024
  • Defra Minister Daniel Zeichner MP opens East of England’s third Net Zero and Climate Resilience Summit

    Over 250 people attended the summit at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge where speakers and workshops focused on the actions needed to achieve net zero and climate resilience for the East of England.

    The Summit was opened by Daniel Zeichner MP, Defra Minister of State for the Environment.

    Mr Zeichner, in his opening address, set out the essential need for adaptation to a changing climate. A commitment to farming and …

    July 22nd 2024
  • EEH welcomes new ministerial team

    Cllr Liz Leffman Chair of England's Economic Heartland, has welcomed the new ministerial team at the Department for Transport.


    She said: "On behalf of England’s Economic Heartland, I would like to congratulate the new Secretary of State for Transport and her ministerial team on their appointments.

    "The incoming government has made growing the economy the bedrock of its approach. Our region, with its world class science, technology and creative sectors, …

    July 10th 2024
  • EEH contributes to South East transport inquiry

    The South East All-Party Parliamentary Group has published 'THE SOUTH EAST AND ‘GLOBAL BRITAIN’: What role for transport infrastructure in underpinning Britain’s plan to trade and grow?”

    EEH was delighted to give evidence to MPs for the inquiry, which has produced a number of strong recommendations:

    Recommendation 1: Government must recognise, and act on, the scale of the challenge in enabling the South East region to support trade to grow …

    May 21st 2024
  • EEH welcomes EMR announcement to refurbish electric fleet

    Positive news this week as EMR has announced a £60 million programme to refurbish its electric Class 360 fleet which operates EMR Connect and Luton Airport Express services between Corby and London St Pancras stopping at Kettering, Wellingborough, Bedford, Luton and Luton Airport Parkway.

    Improving the passenger experience is critical to ensuring more people choose to travel by train.

    We know the current quality of the provision has been an …

    March 22nd 2024
  • Shadow Rail Minister receives briefing on Ely

    The Shadow Minister of State for Rail, Stephen Morgan MP, was briefed on the importance of delivering the Ely Junction improvement works during a visit to Cambridge last month.

    Mr Morgan was joined by Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Dr Nik Johnson and EEH managing director Naomi Green, alongside colleagues from Rail Freight Group, Freeport East and Network Rail.

    The meeting was an opportunity to highlight the importance of delivering …

    March 12th 2024
  • A busy day in Parliament as East West Rail features in both Budget and Transport Committee

    naomi transport committee

    It was a busy day in Parliament today (6 March), as EEH’s managing director Naomi Green gave evidence on East West Rail to the Transport Committee, just hours before the Chancellor gave the ‘green light’ for services from Oxford to Bedford to run by the end of the decade.

    Naomi appeared as part of the committee’s inquiry into strategic transport objectives, with East West Rail being used as a case …

    March 6th 2024
  • EEH Board Round Up- Friday 1 March

    EEH Board round-up: Friday 1 March

    MRT funding ‘falling through gaps’

    Our Strategic Transport Leadership Board agreed to write to government highlighting issues around funding to progress mass transit schemes.

    MRT schemes can have many benefits over more traditional ‘heavy rail’ solutions, including cost, delivery timescales and flexibility – boosting economic growth and lowering congestion and emissions.

    At a time when funding pressures on local authorities are well known, our …

    March 1st 2024
  • Minister responds to letter calling for urgency on Ely

    The Minister of State for Rail has responded to a joint letter from across the private and public sectors which welcomes government's commitment to upgrading Ely and urges funding to be released as soon as possible so that its benefits can be realised for the country.

    The letter, co-ordinated by EEH and …

    January 9th 2024
  • EEH Team looks ahead to 2024

    EEH Team

    The EEH team wishes you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

    From our work to improve bus journeys and support the rollout of electric vehicles, through to successfully leading the case for investment in Ely junction and maximising opportunities from East West Rail , 2023 has certainly been a busy one for EEH.

    With 2024 on the horizon we asked the EEH team to give us their …

    December 21st 2023