Construction of the Cambridge South railway station as of 14 May 2024.
History
A temporary station, Trumpington Station was once located approximately 570m north of the current Cambridge South station site. It was specifically constructed for the Royal Agricultural Society's show from in July 1922, and was demolished after the event concluded.[3] Between 1966, when Barnwell Junction station closed,[4] and 2017, when Cambridge North station opened,[5]Cambridge Station was the only railway station serving the city of Cambridge.
Proposal
Another new station in Cambridge to the south of Cambridge station was proposed in 2017.[6] In August 2017, the Transport Secretary backed plans for a new station as part of the East West Rail plan,[7][8] with a possible opening date of 2021,[9][10] that could also include a light rail link.[11] An unsuccessful application was made to the New Stations Fund 2 in 2017,[12] but £5million was allocated to the project in the November 2017 Budget Speech.[13]
Funding for Cambridge South station was announced in the budget of March 2020.[14] 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.[15]Network Rail stated that its preferred location for the station was at a site adjacent to the Biomedical Campus and the Guided Busway crossing[16] and submitted a Transport and Works Act Order application in June 2021 for a station on this site.[17]
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".[18]
Funding approval
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.[19]
Construction
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.[20]
As of March 2024[update], the construction of a second pair of tracks had 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]
As of October 2024[update], work had begun on fitout of the station building, including roof insulation, floors, glazing, and internal walls.[2]
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.[21]
