Published on: Wednesday, 28 January 2015
Last updated: Wednesday, 5 October 2016
The Transport Minister Robert Goodwill MP will visit Cambridge on Thursday 29 January to officially begin the works on the city station’s new £2.5m CyclePoint.
Funded through the CB1 development led by Brookgate and Network Rail, and with supporting funding from the Department for Transport and Cambridgeshire County Council, CyclePoint will significantly improve cycle parking for rail passengers using Cambridge station, which is one of the busiest regional stations in the country, in a city renowned for cycling.
CyclePoint includes safe and secure parking for 3,000 cycles, all under cover and within a secure building, with features such as a retail and repair facility and cycle-hire. The CyclePoint will be built by contractor Galliford Try as part of a new hotel building adjacent to the station, and forms one of the first key customer benefits of the wider CB1 and Station Square development at Cambridge station, which is being developed by Brookgate. This project will see new housing, offices and retail to supplement the much improved station facilities being delivered by Abellio Greater Anglia, all of which will transform the environment of the station and surrounding areas.
Cambridge is the second station in the region to benefit from CyclePoint, a unique concept brought to the UK from the Netherlands by Abellio. It combines all the services required by cyclists in a single high quality facility on the station site, which reflects the importance of cycling to the city and the local community. The first such Cyclepoint in East Anglia opened at Chelmsford in 2013, with parking for 1,000 cycles. Cambridge CyclePoint is however set to become the biggest facility of its kind in the UK, and a rival to similar projects elsewhere in Europe.
Jamie Burles, Managing Director, Abellio Greater Anglia said: “The start of works on the CyclePoint is a significant step in the project to improve facilities for rail passengers using Cambridge station, and I am particularly pleased to welcome the Transport Minister Robert Goodwill to officially mark the beginning of this exciting scheme, which confirms our commitment to sustainable forms of transport and the whole Door to Door journey.”
Sven Topel, CEO, Brookgate, said: “We are delighted to welcome the Transport Minister Robert Goodwill to the CB1 development to mark the start of works on CyclePoint. As the gateway to a city renowned for its cycling, this location is the natural choice for a world-class storage and maintenance facility. This is a key part of our plans to regenerate the area surrounding Cambridge station with commercial, leisure and residential space, alongside new public realm and transport links.”
The Minister will also welcome PlusBike, a new online resource designed to make it easier for rail passengers to cycle to and from the station. PlusBike is a new feature of National Rail Enquiries’ (NRE’s) online channels, and provides a one stop shop for comprehensive information on cycling facilities available at stations and on trains in Britain. Developed by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) and NRE, and funded by the Department for Transport, the new addition to NRE apps and web platforms will make it easier for both existing and new cycle-rail passengers to quickly find out about the number and type of parking spaces and level of facilities at any given station. It will also link you directly to any existing cycle hire scheme available near the station.
Conrad Haigh, Head of Integrated Transport at ATOC, said: “PlusBike and other improvements to online information will make it so much easier for passengers getting to and from stations by bicycle to be aware of new facilities, such as new cycle hubs like Cambridge. Together, both these show the industry’s dedication to improving the experience for those who want to combine bike and rail as part of their door to door journey, and encouraging more passengers to try this convenient, economical and environmentally friendly mode of travel.”