Nuneaton’s MP Marcus Jones has welcomed the announcement by Government that the merits of the Coventry to Nuneaton rail scheme will be further investigated. The news comes following the decision to place the project in the Department for Transport ‘development pool’.

The development pool is the second stage of the national process to assess projects that have been identified for further evaluation by the Department for Transport with a view to making funding decisions on projects in the development pool by the end of this year.

Commenting on the announcement, Marcus Jones said: “This is a positive step forward for what is a vital project for Nuneaton, Bedworth and Coventry. I will now be working with my parliamentary colleagues and local authorities to further the cause of this project over the coming months.

“The project has been an ongoing saga for many years and whilst there is still work to do I do believe that we are now further forward with this project than we have been previously. We now need all the stakeholders involved to keep working positively to give us the right outcome.”

He added: “I know this announcement will be welcomed by many people particularly those who would be able to improve their employment prospects through having better transport links from Nuneaton. If the scheme does go ahead it will further serve to improve inward investment which would be fantastic for the town.”