The green light has been given to move long-held plans for a new rail station in Cambridge from concept to reality by County Council.
The station, to be called Cambridge Science Park, will be built on the Chesterton Sidings site to the north of Cambridge.
The County Council and its partners have been developing the plans for the station on the basis that the station could be provided commercially and paid for from rail ticket revenues.
To allow early delivery, initial capital funding for the station will be provided by the County Council and then recouped from the train operating companies over a number of years.
A letter just received by Council Leader Nick Clarke, from Theresa Villiers MP, Minister for Transport confirms that as long as the station continues to have a positive business case and generates enough revenue to repay its cost then it will be included in the next rail franchises that operate on the London, Cambridge, Ely, Kings Lynn line.
Work undertaken by the County Council shows that the business case for the station is very strong and so this is the key to ensuring that the County Council can secure back its capital investment and will allow the development of the station proposals to proceed.
On this basis Council bosses are willing to push ahead now with investment to bring the station forward as soon as possible. Detailed proposals will now be put to the Council’s Cabinet on March 6.
Investment for the station forms part of the County's recent budget proposals that will be considered by Full Council tomorrow (21st February) and will enable early delivery of the station. Construction on site is planned to start in early 2014, with an opening date planned in late 2015.
The station will have three platforms, and will be served by at least four hourly southbound trains (to Cambridge and London) and three hourly northbound trains (to Ely, Kings Lynn and Norwich). The Busway will be extended into the site from Milton Road, providing an interchange for frequent onward services to St Ives and Huntingdon, and for local bus services. Pedestrian and cycle routes to the station will be provided to the site from the Science Park and the surrounding area, and a car park and a large cycle park will also be provided.
The station will provide a huge boost for the local economy, and will kick start development and the creation of jobs by significantly improving accessibility and journey times. The much improved links to London for high-tech companies based in the north Cambridge/Science Park area will make this an even more attractive place for businesses to grow and locate. With the planned links to the Busway this will also provide rapid journey times to and from the planned new town of Northstowe, and create an economic growth corridor between Cambridge and Huntingdon and the enterprise zone at Alconbury. It will also bring significant benefits for local residents in north Cambridge and to the wider community. as around 80% of vehicles currently using Cambridge station emanate from north of the city, the new station will also intercept these journeys and help to reduce congestion in and around the city centre and so bring benefits for all.
Development of the current proposals has been led by the County Council but with strong support from Cambridge City Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Network Rail, the Department for Transport and from local MPs, in particular Julian Huppert, Andrew Lansley and Stephen Barclay.
Councillor Nick Clarke, Leader of the Council said: "I am delighted with the progress that has been made and the positive view that has been taken by Theresa Villiers MP, Minister of State for Transport. The support of the Local MPs and the City and District Councils has been invaluable in enabling us to make the case for the station and highlight the massive economic benefits it will bring for Cambridgeshire and the wider region. I am now putting the funding in place to deliver the station, and while there is still a lot to do, we are committed to do all we can to make it happen. Our initial work in partnership with Network Rail has been excellent, and gives me real confidence that we will between us be able deliver a really great new station and transport interchange, which says loud and clear that Cambridge and Cambridgeshire is really open for business.”
Rail Minister Theresa Villiers said: "We welcome Councils looking at innovative ways of bringing transport improvements to their local area and look forward to working with Cambridgeshire County Council on moving this project forward."
Ray Manning, Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: "A number of councils and MPs have been campaigning hard for a railway station at Chesterton for some time, and it is a great boost for our residents and businesses that plans now look set to now become a reality. This link will make it easier than ever for people in South Cambridgeshire to get in and out of London and will only make our district even more attractive for organisations looking to find an area to call home."
Councillor Tim Ward, Executive Councillor for Planning and Sustainable Transport at Cambridge City Council said: "This is exciting news and a major step forward in delivering a new station for Cambridge. The City Council has supported this project for a long time and welcome the opportunities that this will bring for the wider area and Cambridge as a whole."
Dave Ward, Network Rail route managing director, said: "Demand for rail travel in and around Cambridge continues to grow and our ongoing investment in the area is designed to cater for that growth. We look forward to working with the county council on this project which will be real boost to rail services in Cambridgeshire and deliver long-lasting benefits for people in the area. This is a great example of a growing local economy enabling investment in the rail network."
"The news today that Chesterton Station is another step closer to reality is great news for our economy. Not only will it provide a direct public transport link to Cambridge Business Park and Science Park, it will connect to the Busway making journeys to the proposed new town of Northstowe and the Enterprise Zone at Alconbury quicker and easier.
Neville Reyner CBE DL, Chair of the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership, said: "The new station will also enable companies located to the north of Cambridge and beyond, including our world leading technology cluster, to have a faster and more direct journey into London and beyond. In addition to this, the development itself will create new jobs and new opportunities."
Notes
1) Theresa Villiers MP, Minister for State for Transport has confirmed that, subject to the final agreement of a number of technical points, the station will be included as a timetable commitment in the new rail franchises for Thameslink and Greater Anglia services. The cost of the station will be repaid from ticket and parking revenues.
2) Consultation on the scheme will be undertaken later this year. Further consultation through the planning process will be undertaken in 2013.
3) The initial off peak hourly service pattern that is planned is:
Southbound Services
Kings Lynn - London Kings Cross 1
Ely - London Kings Cross 1
Cambridge Science Park - London Liverpool Street 1
Norwich - Cambridge 1
Northbound Services
London Kings Cross - Kings Lynn 1
London Kings Cross - Ely 1
London Liverpool Street - Cambridge Science Park 1
Cambridge - Norwich 1
It is likely that Birmingham New Street - Stansted Airport services will also serve Cambridge Science Park.
4) Timetabling work has indicated that the service level at Cambridge Science Park station can be provided without significant impacts on services at Waterbeach station.