Beaulieu Park railway station explained

Beaulieu Park
Symbol Location:gb
Symbol:rail
Borough:Boreham, City of Chelmsford
Country:England
Platforms:3
Years:2025
Events:Estimated completion
Years1:2026
Events1:Estimated opening

Beaulieu Park railway station is a station in construction on the Great Eastern Main Line in the East of England that will serve a new development in Boreham, approximately 3miles to the north-east of Chelmsford, Essex. It will be situated between to the west and to the east. It was originally expected to open in 2019,[1] though due to numerous issues, mainly relating to funding, this date has been pushed back number of times, most recently to 2026.[2]

The development will include thousands of new residential dwellings, three schools, a business park, surgery, hotel, and parkland, as well as the station which will also serve the neighbourhoods of Boreham and Springfield to help relieve congestion at Chelmsford's main station.[3]

In August 2019 the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sajid Javid, agreed £218 million from the Housing Infrastructure Fund for the new station and associated road improvements, with the aim of unlocking up to 14,000 new homes.[4]

Construction on the station began in January 2023.

When completed, the station itself will have three 250-metre platforms, capable of receiving 12 carriage trains, while offering 100 mph track speeds for non-stopping services, lift-based step free access to each platform, an additional footbridge at the end of the platforms, a café unit, parking for 700 cars and 500 bicycles, and a bus interchange. The main station building will have a brick-cladded structure, a massive national rail logo hanging from the canopy which is supported by posts, and the name of the station in large metal lettering. The ticket hall inside will be spacious and fit the needs of what will become a busy transport hub. It will be fully equipped, with a retail unit for a potential café, a ticket gateline, and a row of ticket machines.[5] [6]

References

51.7557°N 0.5159°W

Notes and References

  1. News: 2013-10-02 . Fears for Braintree Loop and Hatfield Peverel train station . .
  2. News: Meyler . Piers . 2022-07-19 . Beaulieu Park Railway Station will open in 2026 . .
  3. News: 10 December 2015 . New station is on track for beaulieu development . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160426064240/http://www.theenquirer.co.uk/new-station-is-on-track-for-beaulieu-development/ . 26 April 2016.
  4. Web site: £600 million boost for housing . GOV.UK .
  5. Web site: 2023-12-21 . Work at new Beaulieu Park station hit 'critical milestone' . 2024-01-04 . BBC News . en-GB.
  6. Web site: Fenner . David . 2024-08-09 . Beaulieu Park Station . 2024-10-14 . Rail Engineer . en-GB.