DAVID Cameron has thrown his backing to £550million plans to speed London-bound trains through Chelmsford up.

The Prime Minister spoke during his Question Time in the House of Commons on Wednesday to say the project known as Norwich to London in 90 was “very important”.

The scheme is looking at ways to speed up the Great Eastern Main Line between Norwich and London Liverpool Street stations so journey times are slashed to 90 minutes.

Commuters using Chelmsford station which on the same line would benefit as journey times to the capital could be deceased from 45 minutes to under 35.

The Prime Minister also hinted the results of the project could also have an affect on the future franchisees of the line, with Greater Anglia’s ownership set to end in 2016.

Answering a question asked by Norwich North MP Chloe Smith, Cameron said: “I welcome the interest shown by business leaders, local authorities and enterprise partnerships.

“East Anglia is one of the fastest-growing parts of our country and it has world-class companies and universities.

‘Better transport will support and bolster that growth and I look forward to the taskforce report that I know she is working on.

“I hope that it will be used to shape the specification for the long rail franchise, which should start in 2016.”

In November last year, chancellor George Osborne set up a taskforce made up of MPs called Norwich 90 to look into the idea.

Proposals for the plans include new trains, track upgrades and a third line built to ease congestion north of Chelmsford.