Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves confirmed in her budget that construction and planning of the East West rail link from Cambridge to Oxford is to go ahead.

And that could have a big impact on Suffolk because the service could be extended to Ipswich with new express services across the country.

East West rail was first conceived after a group of local authorities came together to propose the scheme - led by Ipswich Borough Council and Milton Keynes Council.

Work on the project is already underway with upgrades of the track from Oxford to Milton Keynes nearly finished and the route from Bletchley to Bedford due to be completed by 2030.

Planning for the "missing link" between Bedford and the new station at Cambridge South is due to start this month - and construction should be completed by the early 2030s.

But Ipswich councillor Phil Smart said the services should continue east from Cambridge.

He said: "The idea is that one train an hour should continue from Cambridge to Ipswich and another should go to Norwich.

"So far as the Ipswich route is concerned, that would mean the line from Cambridge to Newmarket would have to be made into double track again, but that isn't too difficult because it used to be double."

The track through Newmarket tunnel would have to remain single because it is very narrow.

An East West rail service from Ipswich to  Cambridge, probably only stopping at Stowmarket, Bury St Edmunds and Newmarket, would give a new high-speed alternative to the A14.

Unrelated to East West rail, there was no mention in the budget of plans upgrade the Ely and Haughley junctions on the existing cross-country route to the midlands an north.

It is understood that they are likely to feature in the government's public spending statement that is expected to be published early next year.

Rail campaigners remain hopeful that they have done enough to persuade ministers of the importance of these upgrades for the national infrastructure.