The national case will have to be made if the A47 road scheme is to benefit from a European transport fund.

Hundreds of projects across Europe, which aim to ensure the 'cohesion and interconnection' of the European transport network, have been given EU cash, including a few in our region.

But it is up to our national government to make the case for regional schemes.

Vince Muspratt, European and economic programmes manager at Norfolk County Council, said: 'For any projects to qualify for European funds, they have to be identified national priorities. For example because the A47 is not on the national programme it would not qualify for European funds, where the A14 is recognised, so it can. There are things that are done only at a national level and unless you persuade them to make it a national scheme, then frankly you have no chance.'

Schemes that have benefited include the £35m new Ipswich Rail Chord, completed last month, linking the Felixstowe branch with the north-facing main cross-country line to Peterborough, the north and Midlands. Easing rail congestion in Ipswich could benefit trains passing through from Norwich to London. On the A14, incident detection, automatic signs, extensive close circuit television (CCTV) coverage was installed with the help of the Trans-european transport network funding.

The European Elections take place on May 22