Media centre

Thursday 12 May 2016

Secretary of State visits new station in Cambridge as work ramps up one year before completion

Region & Route:

| Eastern: Anglia

| Eastern

| Southern

The Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP, visited the site of a new £50m station north of Cambridge today (12 May 2016), to see the progress that has been made one year before it officially opens to the public.

Work is well under way at the site, where 60 tonnes of steelwork has been put into place. Progress is also being made on the installation of the track, points which allow trains to move from one line to another, overhead line cabling, power supply and platforms.

Once completed, the station, which is part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan, will have three platforms, parking for 450 vehicles and 1,000 cycles, and solar panels will provide up to 10% of the station’s power.

At the heart of Cambridge Science Park, it is expected that when the station opens in May 2017 will handle 3,000 passengers a day once it is opened, and will be a vital point of access to the business park, which is currently only accessed by road. It is anticipated that the station will encourage new businesses to the area as well as aid the expansion of Science Park and St John’s Innovation Centre.

The station will also alleviate the pressure on Cambridge Station, where people currently leave the train in order to travel by other means to the Science and Business Park.

Funded by the Department for Transport and developed by Network Rail in partnership with Cambridgeshire County Council, Cambridge North station will provide an alternative connection point for commuters in the north east of the city and provide improved access and journey times for passengers.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, said: “Thanks to our record £40 billion investment in our railways, we are delivering better journeys for passengers across the country, as well as boosting economic growth and connectivity for the Cambridge region.

“We have invested over £50 million into Cambridge North station to improve journeys for passengers, and I am pleased to see the progress that has been made so far. Once open in 2017, I am confident that the new station will make a significant difference to commuters’ journeys, as well as linking this vital Science Park directly into the rail network.”

Richard Schofield, Network Rail’s route managing director for Anglia, said: “Rail is vital to the UK’s economic growth and this new station will be a huge boost for businesses in Cambridgeshire, allowing them to be better connected, to both Cambridge City centre and to London. The new station will go a long way to help the economic growth in Cambridge, and passengers’ journeys around the city will be greatly improved with better connections and journey times.”