Construction work for Sizewell C is preventing the extension of new rail services through a county.
Jenny Riddell-Carpenter, MP for Suffolk Coastal, said a new evening train service between Lowestoft and Beccles could not be extended further south because Sizewell C had booked out freight slots in the evening and overnight to get construction traffic off the roads.
A Sizewell C spokesman said that each train was equal to taking up to 50 lorries off the road and would make a "meaningful difference to nearby communities".
He said: “We’ve also made significant investments in the East Suffolk line, improving reliability and infrastructure for both passenger and freight services."
Rail firm Greater Anglia introduced a set of service improvements on its regional routes on May 17, including a later last train from Lowestoft to Beccles and from Beccles to Lowestoft on Mondays to Saturdays.
However, the changes, reflecting passenger demand, do not extend further south on the East Suffolk Line between Lowestoft and Ipswich, which includes stops at Brampton, Halesworth, Darsham, Saxmundham, Wickham Market, Melton, Woodbridge and Westerfield.
Mrs Riddell-Carpenter said: "In summary, I've been told that the reason the new evening service can't extend further south of Beccles is because of construction of Sizewell C - which has booked out freight slots in the evening and overnight, to help get construction material off the roads.
"Getting freight off the roads is very important. No doubt about it. But I'm very concerned that this action is now affecting passenger services in the evening."
She said she had spoken to Greater Anglia, infrastructure manager Network Rail, Sizewell C and other partners about the situation, as well as rail minister Lord Hendy, who said he shared her concerns.
Staff at Greater Anglia and Network Rail are set to speak to Sizewell C to see if the timetable could be "flexed" to accommodate improvements to the passenger service.
The MP said if this was not possible, Sizewell C should provide funding for a bus service to replace the later train south of Beccles.
Mrs Riddell-Carpenter added: "It is really important for hospitality, for residents and for young people to get to college and for business users.
"Generally for our area, it is just vitally important."
The spokesman added: "We use overnight freight trains to reduce the number of HGVs on East Suffolk’s roads during the day. Each train removes the need for up to 50 lorries, making a meaningful difference to nearby communities.
"This is a central part of our wider transport strategy, which commits us to moving 60% of our construction materials by rail and sea. We strengthened this commitment in direct response to feedback from local communities during our consultations.
“We met with Jenny Riddell-Carpenter last month to discuss our rail strategy, and we're always happy to discuss optimising rail services with other operators and regulators."
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