From the 'Suffolk Free Press' of Thursday 27 January 1966
Before Minister of Transport, Mrs. Barbara Castle, makes a decision on the Stour Valley and other railway lines, she will see local M.Ps and also consider a report from the new East Anglian Economic Planning Council.
In a special statement, Mr. Keith Stainton (Sudbury and Woodbridge) has said Mrs Castle has given him a personal assurance that she will meet him and other members concerning representations that have been made concerning the Stour and East Suffolk lines.
On Friday, Mr Kenneth Keith, Chairman of the East Anglian Economic Planning Council, announced that one of three sub-committees set up is to examine the economic planning implications of pending withdrawals of railway passenger services and report to the council in March.
"As I understand it", he said, "all the planning councils are being asked to advise the Minister on the economic planning considerations she must take into account on reaching her decisions".
The council's function would be to consider whether the lines concerned should be retained as distinct from particular services which were dealt with by the Transport Users Consultative Committee on hardship grounds.