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Monday 23 Jan 2017

Station upgrades herald longer trains, less crowding and better journeys for south Cambridgeshire rail passengers

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

| Eastern

Rail passengers in South Cambridgeshire will soon benefit from longer trains that can carry more people as Network Rail begins work to extend platforms at three Cambridgeshire stations.

Platforms will be extended at Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton stations as part of the government-sponsored Thameslink Programme, which is transforming north-south rail travel through London to help cater for the growing number of people who want to travel by train, as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan.

A team of Network Rail and contractor VolkerFitzpatrick engineers will begin work at the stations on Sunday, 19 February, with the extended platforms due be completed by the end of August.

When complete, the longer platforms will enable Great Northern’s new, Siemens-built Class 700 trains to call at the stations, providing longer trains that will carry more passengers.

Simon Blanchflower, Network Rail’s Thameslink Programme director, said: “Passenger numbers are at record levels and growing each year, so it’s vital we continue to invest in building a bigger, better railway. The work we’re doing in Cambridgeshire will deliver longer trains, with more space for passengers as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan. I’d like to thank passengers and local residents in advance for their patience while we carry out this much-needed investment in the railway.”

Stuart Cheshire, Passenger Services Director, Great Northern said “The improvements at Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton stations offer passengers on the Great Northern route a glimpse of the benefits that the Thameslink Programme will deliver to their area over the next eighteen months. The brand new eight-car Class 700 trains, being introduced on the route later this year, are longer and more spacious with significantly increased capacity compared to the 30 year old trains currently calling at the stations.”

From 2018 passengers in Cambridgeshire will be better connected than ever before with direct services to St Pancras International (for Eurostar), Farringdon (for interchange with Crossrail and Heathrow airport), London Bridge, Gatwick Airport and stations south of London.

ENDS

 

Notes to editors:

The platform extensions will involve some evening and weekend work, with some train services replaced by buses on certain weekends.

For more information about future service changes, passengers are advised to visit train operator Great Northern’s website, www.thameslinkrailway.com or visit www.nationalrail.co.uk.

There will be some parking suspensions in operation in the station car park at Meldreth for the duration of the work.

If residents have any questions or issues while the work is ongoing they are advised to call our 24-hour National Helpline on 03457 114141 or email contact@thameslinkprogramme.co.uk.