Plans to transform train services between Cambridge and London Liverpool Street have cleared the final hurdle after the local council granted permission for Network Rail’s £16.7 million scheme to build a new island platform, complete with footbridge and lifts, at Cambridge Station.
The decision means work on the scheme can start next month, with completion scheduled in time for the December 2011 timetable changes which will see the introduction of longer trains on key commuter services between the city and Liverpool Street.
Adding two new 270m bi-directional platforms – numbered 7 and 8 – means trains can arrive and depart in either direction, freeing up vital capacity on the existing platforms and making sure Cambridge can cater for additional rail services in the future.
A covered footbridge and lifts form part of the plans, connecting the new platforms to the rest of the station. After consultation with local cycling groups, the staircases will feature special guttering to help cycle users move their bikes around the station.
