The £175m Beaulieu Park train station in Chelmsford is finished well ahead of time, and will open for passengers next week – it’s the first station on the Eastern main line for 100 years
The first new train station on the Eastern main line for 100 years will be arriving … four months early. Rail chiefs are delighted with the £175m station which will open its doors next week.
Beaulieu Park is the first station on this part of the UK rail network network since the 1920s. And because it’s months ahead of schedule passengers will be able to use it from October 26th.
The station is part of a new super green initiative project near Chelmsford, Essex. Martin Beable, Greater Anglia’s Managing Director, said: “We are really looking forward to the opening of Beaulieu Park station, the first new station on the Great Eastern Main Line in over 100 years.
“Beaulieu Park station will benefit from a regular and reliable service of up to four trains per hour during peak times and two trains per hour during off peak periods, making rail travel simple and convenient for passengers.”
Councillor Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader at Essex County Council, said: “Essex is pioneering the type of infrastructure-supported growth that’s on the national agenda, being bold and ambitious in our commitment to future-proofing the county and putting investment where it’s most needed.
“The new Beaulieu Park station is testament to this, and the role it will play in transforming travel in this part of Chelmsford and surrounding areas will have a positive impact for years to come.
“The progress being made to build the station is remarkable and I want to thank everyone involved for their hard work to get the project to this stage. I’m very much looking forward to the station opening.”
Council bosses hope the new station will transform travel north of Chelmsford as it will eases pressure on the existing busy Chelmsford train station and reduces car journeys into the city centre.
The station is a significant addition to the Beaulieu and Channels neighbourhoods in the north of the city, which form the first phases of the new Chelmsford Garden Community.
4,350 homes already have planning permission as part of the Garden Community. This includes 1,989 new homes which have already been built, along with the Beaulieu Square Neighbourhood Centre providing local shops, community and health services.
This is in addition to the Beaulieu Park School – the first all-through primary and secondary school in Essex.
Another 6,250 homes, a second all-through school campus, up to three primary schools with early years and childcare provision, up to four standalone early-years facilities, more than nine hectares of employment space and walking and cycling routes will also be delivered as part of the Garden Community in the coming years.
Beaulieu Park Station will provide easier and quicker access to jobs, helping the economic development of the area and encouraging further investment.
Beable added: “We expect the new station to be a very attractive and popular option for travellers from that part of Essex.”