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Suffolk Chamber of Commerce helped gather together an impressive array of business leaders at WTW’s iconic Willis Building, and it was a real opportunity to showcase the amount of talent, ambition and vision that we have here.
Bill’s backing for a city bid for Ipswich was welcome, and I am really positive about the benefits city status could bring to Ipswich, and believe it could provide a catalyst in reviving the town, building confidence and driving new investment.
Yet, I know that city status alone isn’t a magic bullet, and unless we see real investment in infrastructure, deliver a modern skills and education agenda, and create a far more supportive business environment, the potential Ipswich and wider Suffolk has will always be shackled.
These themes came up repeatedly in our meeting, with business leaders relaying some of the significant challenges which are acting as barriers to Ipswich achieving its promise. Chief among these obstacles is infrastructure.
We have one of the world’s biggest container ports in Felixstowe and the UK’s leading grain export port in Ipswich. The ‘Energy Coast’ could drive our country’s energy transition, benefitting from thousands of new jobs and significant investment. Our farmers help feed the nation. Suffolk is strategically important for the future prosperity of the UK.
Yet, that does not seem to be acknowledged by the Government who almost routinely bypasses Suffolk when it comes to new infrastructure investment.
There are some obvious examples of relatively modest projects that have been left to gather dust. Rail junction upgrades to the Ely and Haughley Junctions have been talked about for more than a decade, yet, once again, our region’s calls for Government support have been ignored.
In a similar vein, not only will the desperately needed improvements to the Copdock Junction be pushed back to the 2030s, there are now fears it will only amount to a ‘modest’ upgrade, rather than a comprehensive rebuild.
The failure to deliver an alternative to the Orwell Bridge, such as a Northern Bypass, will continue to have major consequences too.
It could be years until these projects are realised and will represent a wasted two decades. We know what the problem is, we know how to fix it, we know the benefits will far outweigh the costs, but it still
has not happened. I can fully understand why people are so frustrated and pessimistic about things ever changing.
However, we must remain optimistic and keep fighting to put Ipswich and Suffolk on the map. I recognise that a change in Government could take another 18 months, and it is by no means guaranteed. I also recognise that, even if I am fortunate to be elected as the next MP for Ipswich, the task of bringing a range of political stakeholders together to push forward collectively is not straightforward.
Yet I remain positive about our future. Locally, there is a real desire for change and we have the ideas and expertise to make it happen.
Nationally, the pledges the Labour Party are making with regards to a long-term industrial strategy and the commitment to properly decentralising power and investment leaves me hopeful that, finally, Ipswich and Suffolk will receive a fair deal.
Better days lie ahead, but we must continue to be ambitious, show vision and self belief, work together, and take our chances.
It is about time the Government values the contribution Suffolk makes to the country, but it remains incumbent on us to fight for a brighter future. Let’s go and grab it with both hands
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