Cambridge South railway station

Cambridge South railway station is a railway station that is under construction.[1] Located in southern Cambridge, it is planned to serve the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and the adjacent suburb of Trumpington. The station will be on the Cambridge line and the West Anglia Main Line, and is scheduled to open in 2025.

Cambridge South
National Rail
General information
LocationCambridge Biomedical Campus
England
Coordinates52°10′28″N 0°07′52″E / 52.1744°N 0.1310°E / 52.1744; 0.1310
Platforms4 (planned)
Key dates
2023Construction began
2025Planned opening

Background edit

 
Construction of the Cambridge South railway station as of 9 August 2023.

A new station was proposed in 2017.[2] In August 2017, the Transport Secretary backed plans for a new station as part of the East West Rail plan,[3][4] with a possible opening date of 2021,[5][6] that could also include a light rail link.[7] An unsuccessful application was made to the New Stations Fund 2 in 2017,[8] but £5 million was allocated to the project in the November 2017 Budget Speech.[9]

Funding for Cambridge South station was announced in the budget of March 2020.[10] Three options for its location near Addenbrooke's Hospital were identified between the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway bridge on Cambridge Biomedical Campus to the north and the Addenbrooke’s Road bridge to the south.[11] Network Rail stated that its preferred location for the station was at a site adjacent to the Biomedical Campus and the Guided Busway crossing[12] and submitted a Transport and Works Act Order application in June 2021 for a station on this site.[13]

In September 2022, the government announced Cambridge South as one of the "138 major infrastructure projects that the Government aims to fast-track, although "inclusion in the list [does] not guarantee funding, planning consent or approval at this stage".[14]

Funding approval edit

In December 2022, the station was given a Transport and Works Act Order approval, which authorised construction of the station and track laying. The station is expected to be fully accessible by people with disabilities and to have 1,000 cycle spaces. Elsewhere but as part of the works, improvements will also made to Shepreth Branch Junction and a new crossover installed at Hills Road.[15]

Construction edit

In October 2023, Network Rail awarded a contract for construction of the station. It is to have four platforms and anticipates 1.8 million passengers per year.[16]

As of March 2024, the construction of a second pair of tracks have started. New overhead catenary poles are in place and the original tracks have been shifted a few metres to the side to make way for the platforms.[citation needed]

East West Rail edit

East West Rail is a major project to build (or rebuild) a line between Oxford and Cambridge. In its 2023 Bedford–Cambridge preferred route announcement, the East West Rail Company proposes that its new alignment into Cambridge will do so via Cambridge South.[17]

Services edit

Preceding station   National Rail Following station
  Future Services  
Foxton   Cambridge line   Cambridge
Shelford   West Anglia Main Line   Cambridge
Cambourne   East West Rail   Cambridge
Railways around Cambridge
 
 
Cambridge North
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cambridge
 
 
LNWR goods
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cambridge South
 
 
 
Shelford
 
 
 

References edit

  1. ^ Findlay, Cait (19 January 2023). "First look as Cambridge South station work begins after approval". CambridgeshireLive. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Cambridge South Station – Project Update" (PDF). cambridge.gov.uk. Cambridge City Council. 16 January 2017.
  3. ^ Josh Thomas (11 August 2017). "An Addenbrooke's train station has got the thumbs-up from the Transport Secretary". Cambridge News. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  4. ^ Josh Thomas (22 May 2017). "Cambridge looks ahead to another new train station at Addenbrooke's Hospital". Cambridge News. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  5. ^ Josh Thomas (20 June 2017). "ANOTHER new Cambridge train station could be here within four years". Cambridge News. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  6. ^ Thomas, Josh (22 August 2017). "Sustainable solutions must be found at new Cambridge railway station". cambridgenews. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  7. ^ Comber, Ben. "Light rail link will mean no need for Cambridge South station car park says mayor Palmer". Cambridge Independent. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  8. ^ "Nineteen bids for New Stations Fund second round – Proposed Railway Schemes". Proposed Railway Schemes. 22 August 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  9. ^ "Chancellor accepts East West Rail targets and strengthens plans with extra cash". www.railtechnologymagazine.com. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  10. ^ "Government announce funding for Cambridge South station". 11 March 2020.
  11. ^ "Three locations for Cambridge South station unveiled". 20 January 2020.
  12. ^ "Cambridge South station's preferred location selected". Network Rail. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  13. ^ "Cambridge South station". Network Rail. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Fast-track 138-project growth plan – full list". Construction Enquirer. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  15. ^ "First look as Cambridge South station work begins after approval". Cambridgeshire Live. 19 January 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  16. ^ "Cambridge South station building company gets £93m contract". BBC News. 24 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  17. ^ Making Meaningful Connections: Consultation Technical Report (PDF) (Report). East West Rail Company. March 2021. pp. 372–423.

External links edit