Nuneaton’s voice in Parliament Marcus Jones today welcomed the announcement that additional financial support will be given by Government to complete the Nuneaton to Coventry rail upgrade (Nuckle) project.

The Nuneaton MP led an initial Coventry and Warwickshire delegation in 2011 to put the case for funding to the previous Secretary of State for Transport, Philip Hammond. Following the grant of funding in 2012 the project had to be split into two phases due to technical challenges and unforeseen additional costs.

Phase one of this important project begins in August when construction starts on new stations at Bermuda and the Ricoh Arena. Phase two to deliver a new platform at Coventry Station and new trains to run a twice hourly service between Nuneaton and Coventry had been in question due to an additional funding requirement.

Marcus recently took a second delegation to lobby the current Secretary of State Patrick McLoughlin about the scheme. Mr McLoughlin then made the trip to visit Nuneaton to hear first hand from Marcus Jones about the scheme.

As part of a £6bn local growth package being delivered by Government to the regions on England £8million of Government funding has been committed to fully deliver the full NUCKLE project which is now hoped to be achieved by December 2016.

A delighted Marcus Jones commented, “This is great news for our area. This is a project that was talked about for years, but in reality the starting gun was not fired until 2012. Since then technical and funding difficulties have blighted the project, but now things seem to be really moving.

"I am so pleased that the Secretary of State and the Government have stepped in to help the local Councils in Warwickshire and Coventry fully deliver this project, which will provide a much improved link between Nuneaton and Coventry.”

Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin said, "I recently visited Nuneaton to speak to Marcus Jones MP about the NUCKLE project and the challenges that were being faced with the delivery of the scheme.

"Marcus also brought a delegation from Coventry and Warwickshire to lobby me in Parliament. Both Marcus and the Coventry and Warwickshire delegation made a compelling case and I am glad that we have been able to give this project our full backing."