Regional train journeys growing at fastest rate in Suffolk in the East of England

The amount of train journeys taken in Suffolk is growing at a faster rate than anywhere else in the region, new research suggests.

The number of passenger journeys within the county rose from 3.99million in 2011/12 to 4.47m in 2012/13, the Office of Rail Regulation found.

The 12% increase was the highest in the east of England, which had an average rise of 4.2%.

The next highest was Hertfordshire (6.8%). It was 5.1% in Norfolk and 2.3% in Essex.

The news comes on the day Suffolk campaigners, including MPs, gather at a major conference to plead with the new rail minister Claire Perry to urgently invest in the region’s rail network following another day of travel chaos.

Thousands of Suffolk and Essex commuters faced hours of delays and sudden cancellations after overhead wire problems at Kelvedon on Wednesday.

The latest setback on the rail network came amid mounting pressure for the Government to intervene and overhaul the region’s train lines.

Campaigners have long pressed for a series of improvements, such as faster line speeds, better rolling stock and more frequent services.

The figures released yesterday also showed the number of passenger journeys from Suffolk to other regions rose by 1.6% between 2012/12 and 2012/13, from 2.73m to 2.77m.

It was a lower increase than the east of England average (4%) and was also lower than Norfolk (4.2%) and Essex (2.9%).