The British Felixstowe branch railway line in the east of the country will have a second track between Trimley station and Grimston Lane foot crossing. This will allow up to 47 freight trains to run per day. That is fourteen more trains than can currently run on the single line, revealed infrastructure manager Network Rail.

The 67.7 million Euros (60.4 million pounds) scheme was approved by the Secretary of State for Transport and the Port of Felixstowe this week. In the coming months, engineers will start clearing vegetation in preparation for building the second track.

More freight on rail

“We’re improving the Felixstowe branch line to provide a step change for rail freight in Suffolk and beyond as part of our Railway Upgrade Plan. We’re supporting the growth of the UK economy by enabling more goods to be transported on the railway and reducing the number of lorries on the road”, Meliha Duymaz, Network Rail’s route managing director for Anglia said.

The project is expected to pave the way for potential improvements to the cross country line, connecting east and west. It is funded through the Strategic Freight Network, with a contribution from Hutchison Ports UK. The work will also create a safer and more reliable railway for passengers travelling between Ipswich and Felixstowe.