Mayor hails Cambridge South consultation and urges public to speak out for early delivery

Mayor hails Cambridge South consultation and urges public to speak out for early delivery

Network Rail has announced it is launching a public consultation in early 2020 on proposals for a new railway station for Cambridge South.

The new station is proposed to be built near of the growing biomedical campus in the south of Cambridge to improve transport links for residents and accessibility for patients and visitors to Addenbrooke’s and Royal Papworth hospitals.

Mayor James Palmer:

“I’ve pushed hard to get us here and I’m delighted that Network Rail now accepts that the need for a Cambridge South station is urgent.  It’s been crucial for Cambridge to get this project disentangled from the East-West Rail plan – and now that’s been done, we can crack on with the consultation process in the new year.

“As I’ve always argued, a new train station to serve Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the growing Biomedical Campus is already desperately needed, and any delay puts the jobs at these sites at risk. Cambridge South station will make public transport a genuine option for many commuters who currently have little choice but to drive to work.

“But we need it urgently. The Greater Cambridge Partnership is content with a timeframe that I’d denounce as foot-dragging.  While Network Rail’s announcement of a consultation on a 4-platform station is welcome, the projected completion date between 2025 and 2027 is ridiculously far away for the commuters who need this station now. I’ve always pressed for an interim 2-platform solution that could be built more quickly, and I call on all those taking part in the consultation to make their feelings on this timeline clear.”

Network rail has announced the public will be invited to attend consultation events to comment on the proposals being put forward, which include three possible location options and early designs for the station.

The public consultation begins on 20 January 2020 with consultation events planned to take place at various local venues on the following dates:

Date	Time	Location
Monday 20 January	4pm-8pm	The University Centre (Hicks Room) Granta Place, Cambridge, CB2 1RU
Tuesday 21 January	5pm-9pm	Long Road Sixth Form College Long Road, Cambridge, CB2 8PX
Wednesday 22 January	9am-1pm	Royal Papworth Hospital Papworth Road, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0AY
Thursday 23 January	4pm-8pm	Netherhall School Queen Edith’s Way, Cambridge, CB1 8NN
Friday 24 January	10am-2pm	Trumpington Pavilion King George V Playing Field, Paget Road, Trumpington, CB2 9JF
Saturday 25 January	10am-2pm	Shelford Rugby Club The Davey Field, Cambridge Road, Great Shelford, CB22 5JU
Tuesday 28 January	3:30pm–7:30pm	Little Shelford Memorial Hall 9 Church Street, Little Shelford, CB22 5HG
Wednesday 29 January	4pm-8pm	Grantchester Village Hall Vicarage Drive, Grantchester, Cambridge, CB3 9NG
Thursday 30 January	1pm-5pm	Stapleford Jubilee Pavilion Stapleford Recreation Ground, Off Haverhill Road, Stapleford, CB22 5BX

The public consultation will last for approximately eight weeks during which the public will be able to attend the events and/or submit their comments to Network Rail via an online survey. The consultation will close on 2 March 2020.