‘Cambridge South will be a major boost for region’ says Mayor in tour of station site

‘Cambridge South will be a major boost for region’ says Mayor in tour of station site

Mayor Dr Nik Johnson toured building works at the new Cambridge South rail station, set to open next year to help thousands of people travel to and from the busy Biomedical Campus.

Cambridge South will improve journeys, cut congestion and carbon emissions and serve an estimated 1.8 million passengers a year. Cambridge Biomedical Campus is a hub of innovation in the region’s globally renowned health and life sciences cluster, and combined with Addenbrooke’s Hospital, already hosts thousands of jobs and daily visitors. It is expected to accommodate 27,000 jobs by 2031 as part of its expansion, and the station will supporting sustainable transport in the growing south of the city.

Mayor Dr Johnson was given an update on the progress of works on Friday (Sep 6) and the tour gave an initial view of the striking architectural shape and construction materials of the building, as well as an impression of the internal spaces. Works are on course for completion by the end of 2025.

Getting Cambridge South built was one of the early priorities of the Combined Authority, and jointly provided early-stage funding to get the project moving. The Combined Authority led a strategy to make it a standalone project, separate from East West Rail, to speed up its delivery. The then Government announced last year around £200 million in funding to get it built.

The new station will also connect to potential destinations such as central London, London Stansted Airport and Birmingham. There will be step free access to all four platforms, accessible toilets, cycle parking for 1,000 bikes to encourage active travel, a drop off area and access to the station for pedestrians on both sides. The station will be managed and served by Greater Anglia, with other existing train operators expected to call at the new station (subject to future timetabling).

The station is also designed to accommodate proposed East West Rail services in the future.

Mayor Dr Nik Johnson said: “Cambridge South will be a real boost to the city and region from day one of opening and it was exciting to see the project now really taking shape.

“A growing economy needs investment in infrastructure, which is why the Combined Authority and local partners worked tirelessly to accelerate the delivery of Cambridge South. Something that was previously going to arrive years later with East West Rail is now just around the corner.”

Nick Kirby, Managing Director, Cambridge Biomedical Campus Ltd, said: “Cambridge Biomedical Campus is a global centre for health, education and life sciences. It is vital that more people can get here on public transport, as it cuts our carbon footprint and reduces traffic on local roads. This new station is an important step in achieving these goals. It promises to be an exemplar for the role infrastructure investment has in promoting environmentally sustainable and inclusive economic growth”.

Charlotte Summers, Director, Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart and Lung Research Institute on the Biomedical Campus said: “This new station will be a boost to staff at the Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute, many of whom can’t wait to hop on a train straight to the institute. But there is a much more important reason that we all welcome it so much. Every person in this institute is dedicated to reducing deaths from cardiovascular and lung disease, and one of the most significant contributors to those deaths is air pollution. Anything that cuts vehicles on our roads will benefit all our health.”

Natalie Allen, Network Rail Principal Programme Sponsor, said: “It’s an exciting time for the railway in Cambridgeshire as we continue to build the fantastic new station to serve the growing business and medical research communities.”

For more information about the project visit: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/anglia/improving-the-railway-in-anglia/cambridge-south-station/