On the closing day for the receipt of bids for EU funding for improved rail links in the region, Liberal Democrat Euro MP Andrew Duff has criticised the British government for failing to act. Mr Duff said:

"20 July is the closing date for the European Commission to receive bids for the funding of improved transport links. The A14 and the Felixstowe-Nuneaton railway are officially designated as an important part of the EU's Trans-European Networks. As such, they are eligible to receive substantial subsidy from the EU budget.

Our region could be getting at least half of the money needed to upgrade the rail link to Felixstowe docks and to improve the notorious A14 trunk road.

But nothing has happened. The Department of Transport both in Whitehall and at Go East seems stuck in hopeless inertia. Despite pressure from MEPs, the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA), port owners, the transport industry, safety campaigners and environmental NGOs, the government has simply sat on its hands.

Tomorrow in Brussels the European Commission will sift through funding applications for exciting transport infrastructure projects from all over Europe - with the exception of the United Kingdom.

Few can understand why the British are such laggard Europeans, nor why the British public is condemned to put up with an out-of-date, third class road and rail system."