Three years of Cambridge North station

Published on: Thursday, 21 May 2020
Last updated: Thursday, 21 May 2020

Today marks the third anniversary of the opening of Cambridge North station.

Cambridge North was built to improve rail links for people in the north east of the city as well as to improve access to the business park - which was previously only accessed by road – the Science Park and St John’s Innovation Centre.

While the station is currently seeing vastly reduced passenger numbers due to the coronavirus outbreak, figures show that passenger numbers at Cambridge North grew by 66% in 2019.

Almost 813,000 entries and exits were recorded at the station from January to December 2019, meaning almost 8,000 people passed through every week, according to data from the Office of Rail and Road.

Greater Anglia’s Managing Director, Jamie Burles, said, "When we opened the station in 2017 it was warmly welcomed by those who would benefit from the extra rail services and improved links it offered to London, Stansted Airport and beyond.

"We couldn’t predict that three years later, we would find ourselves in the current situation, but I am confident that, once we are through this, the station will continue to thrive and Greater Anglia will still be here for you - with a fleet of fantastic brand new trains that will improve rail journeys from Cambridge North even further."

The three-platform station is usually served by four Greater Anglia and three Great Northern departures an hour off-peak providing services to London Kings Cross, London Liverpool Street, Stansted Airport, Ely, Kings Lynn and Norwich, but train operators are currently operating reduced timetables due to the coronavirus.

It has friendly, helpful customer hosts, waiting rooms with plug points, a coffee shop, 450 car parking spaces and 1,000 cycle parking spaces.

The cycle shelter incorporates solar panels that provide up to 10% of the station’s power. Local cycle routes connect with the new station and it is within easy reach of the A14 and A10. Metal cladding on the outside of the building and footbridge incorporates a pattern based on a mathematical theory called the Game of Life by Cambridge mathematician John Conway.

The station was officially opened to the public on 21 May 2017. It was funded by the Department for Transport and developed by Network Rail in partnership with Cambridgeshire County Council.