Heading up the tracks: Plans submitted for Waterbeach station's move

Plans to relocate Waterbeach's railway station to the centre of a new development have been drawn up and submitted to South Cambridgeshire District Council.

The new railway station, which could open in 2021, will be built for eight-carriage trains – with land safeguarded to allow for the future expansion to 12-carriage platforms – and will also include walking and cycle routes as well as car and cycle parking. The existing station would close when the new station opens.

The proposal, submitted by RLW Estates, is identified in the emerging South Cambridgeshire Local Plan, providing transport links at the proposed new settlements at Waterbeach which would bring about 11,000 new homes to the area.

The Greater Cambridge Partnerships Ely to Cambridge Transport Study, published in January, also recommends relocating the existing station.

The mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, James Palmer, said: “The success and future growth of our region will depend on improvements to our transport infrastructure. With the amount of homes planned for the north of Waterbeach, we certainly need an improved railway station delivered as soon as possible.

“A new station at Waterbeach with increased capacity and facilities will encourage more people to use public transport to travel into Cambridge and hopefully a soon-to-be-delivered new station in the south of the city.”

He added: “This will enable a modal shift to get people into Cambridge, yet also help to free up capacity on the A10 as we progress the options to increase capacity on the road.”

The relocated station will be situated a mile north of the existing station and will not only be an improvement in terms of facilities, it will also be safer, removing the level crossing.

As well as submitting the station planning application to South Cambridgeshire District Council, RLW Estates is soon to submit a planning application for up to 4,500 new homes as part of the proposed Waterbeach New Town.

An application for 6,500 new homes has already been submitted by Urban & Civic and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation on the site of the former RAF Waterbeach.

Chris Goldsmith, of RLW Estates, said: “The relocated station will provide greatly enhanced facilities over the current station in Waterbeach, but we recognise that some residents in the village will be further from a station than they are presently.

“To mitigate the impact we are proposing a series of measures including a shuttle service and improved cycling and pedestrian access.”