A BUSINESS-led campaign in the East of England which sets out a series of priorities for the Government, including continued investment in transport structure, faced traffic delays yesterday as it took its case to Parliament.

More than 100,000 businesses in the region have signed up to the Blueprint for Growth campaign, which was published by the Space 4 Ideas business group in May and aims to set the economy on a sustained recovery.

However, a team which set out yesterday to present the sign-up forms to the Government faced a rush-hour delay on the A14 in Cambridgeshire.

“It is ironic that one of the very issues that requires urgent Government attention, the upgrade of the A14, stops us delivering the clarion call of so many people from the East of England.” said the chairman of Space for Ideas, Steve Sharratt.

Blueprint for Growth is backed by the CBI, all the Chambers of Commerce in the region, the Institute of Directors, the Federation of Small Businesses, Unite the Union as well as a number of major employers, local authorities and universities.

“We know that Government has some tough decisions to make and business and industry in the region does not shirk its role in that; we have to deliver more with less.” Mr Sharratt added.

“But with the Comprehensive Spending Review only a month away, 100,000 and more voices can not and must not be ignored by the coalition government. The opportunities for growth in the East of England are huge. Working together we can build on success and capitalise on these opportunities, delivering so much more for the UK economy.”