East West Rail: 4 route options announced for Bedford-Cambridge section

[philjo]

BBC Look East reported on this story the other evening.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24079062

Cambridge-Bedford rail link options proposed

Four options have been published for a rail link between Cambridge and Bedford to complete an east-west route.

Two options suggested by campaign group Railfuture use existing track to link Cambridge and Sandy, where a new section would go to Bedford.
Another proposes a completely new line from Cambridge to Bedford, along the route of the A428 road.
The fourth option uses what remains of the former Varsity Line track that was taken up in the 1960s.
Network Rail said passenger and freight demands had led to plans to reinstate the line between Oxford and Bedford and it was likely to be a reality by 2017.
There would be a further wait for a direct link to Cambridge as much of the old track disappeared, the company said.

Railfuture said jobs, business and contacts between the Oxford and Cambridge academic centres would be boosted by completion of the route.
Cambridge County Council is expected to comment later but has accepted public transport has a role to play in future economic development.
In developing the options, Railfuture said they have not considered routes where extensive tunnelling would be required.
The 10-page proposal document said the electrified railway would be designed "for main line running speeds [of] 100mph (160kph) or above."
It said the options should be considered by planning and transport authorities.

Cambridgeshire's cabinet member for growth and planning, said: "We are currently leading the work on looking at the business case for a rail line between Cambridge and Bedford which would have great benefits for residents along any potential route, which could include St Neots and the A428 corridor.

"Work is at the very early stages and we are working with partners across the eastern region to look at options that would connect most of East Anglia.
" Improving public transport links boosts the local economy and reduces congestion as well as reducing rural isolation."

I found the Railfuture document showing outline route maps for the 4 options here:
http://www.railfuture.org.uk/east/docs/East-West-Rail-Routes-from-Cambridge-Sept2013.pdf


Option A1 uses existing line Cambridge-Hitchin then has options from there to Bedford (not specified) but presumbaly either new line direct from Hitchin or via Sandy then new line to Bedford.

Option A2 has a new junction at Shepreth with new line from there to Sandy & Bedford, using part of the former "varsity" route where it hasn't been built on.

option B1 - via Trumpington and Cambourne (station) and joins the ECML at Little Barford (access to both north & south)

Option B2 - via Trumpington then the former "varsity line" trackbed with diversions where it has be built on


option B1 would allow Cambridge -Cambourne - St neots - Huntingdon -Peterborough services

It is stated that the limiting factor for options A1 and A2 are the A10 level crossing at Foxton (though I see elsewhere that Network rail are investigating the feasibility of replacing this with a bridge/underpass) and the capacity at Shepreth Branch junction.

 

[anti-pacer]

BBC Look East reported on this story the other evening.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24079062



I found the Railfuture document showing outline route maps for the 4 options here:
http://www.railfuture.org.uk/east/docs/East-West-Rail-Routes-from-Cambridge-Sept2013.pdf


Option A1 uses existing line Cambridge-Hitchin then has options from there to Bedford (not specified) but presumbaly either new line direct from Hitchin or via Sandy then new line to Bedford.

Option A2 has a new junction at Shepreth with new line from there to Sandy & Bedford, using part of the former "varsity" route where it hasn't been built on.

option B1 - via Trumpington and Cambourne (station) and joins the ECML at Little Barford (access to both north & south)

Option B2 - via Trumpington then the former "varsity line" trackbed with diversions where it has be built on


option B1 would allow Cambridge -Cambourne - St neots - Huntingdon -Peterborough services

It is stated that the limiting factor for options A1 and A2 are the A10 level crossing at Foxton (though I see elsewhere that Network rail are investigating the feasibility of replacing this with a bridge/underpass) and the capacity at Shepreth Branch junction.

Surely a better way would be to use lay tracks on what is now the guided busway and link Huntingdon, St Ives and Cambridge, and build a track over to Bedford from Huntingdon. Then, make Huntingdon a stop on some EC services, providing a link from the ECML to this new line.

 

[cle]

Post HS2, as with the WCML, I imagine the ECML will adapt a more semi-fast style. So more all stops trains to York/Newark/Lincoln and outer suburban runs. I could see Huntingdon featuring on some of these, but not on trains to the North East or Scotland.

Is there info on the possible costs and journey time differentials on the options? Is it better to connect into Cambridge from the north or south? And the ECML too...?

 

[philjo]

The document did state that connecting from the South meant that services would be able to run to/from Norwich/Ipswich without requiring a reversal at Cambridge. if they ran into Cambridge from the North they could run on to Stansted without needing to reverse

 

[mr_jrt]

I still think having a reversal at Bedford (or even worse, effectively abandoning the notion of interchanging with the MML services by having an OSI) will be quite detrimental to passenger usage...the only solution to which is new build around the north of Bedford up to St. Neots before heading along the A428 corridor. This incidentally also isolates the EWR line from the ECML as was the case with the original Varsity route, so shouldn't hamper capacity on that section at all.

 

[edwin_m]

According to the East West Rail website, for the options where the "main line" doesn't go through Bedford there would still be services from Beford to Bletchley and beyond. Options that go via Luton instead would provide interchange there.

 

[mr_jrt]

According to the East West Rail website, for the options where the "main line" doesn't go through Bedford there would still be services from Beford to Bletchley and beyond. Options that go via Luton instead would provide interchange there.

I can say with almost certainty that no options that go via Luton will happen, even with as big a draw as the airport. There simply isn't the line capacity on the MML for the trains to run due to Thameslink's service intensity. The only free paths available are those of the services that terminate at St. Albans, which isn't anywhere near enough for the link to be worthwhile. Similar problem on the ECML, but there the combination of the new 4-track section north of Hitchin and the service intensity on the Cambridge branch should buy some capacity north of Hitchin for EWR. The MML however has no branches south of the EWR line, so it can't benefit from freed paths in that manner.

...with one caveat - reinstating the line via Leighton Buzzard would avoid the MML congestion, and could easily have a set of lines laid alongside the short section of the WCML before the route diverges, but obviously that route's now a busway!

 

[asylumxl]

I can say with almost certainty that no options that go via Luton will happen, even with as big a draw as the airport. There simply isn't the line capacity on the MML for the trains to run due to Thameslink's service intensity. The only free paths available are those of the services that terminate at St. Albans, which isn't anywhere near enough for the link to be worthwhile.

Besides that, I do have to wonder if anyone bothered to look at the local topography. The gradients out of Luton towards Hitchin are considerable (both roads that can be used towards it have 10% gradients) so I really can't see it being possible without considerable tunneling. Couple that with objections from various communities and it becomes even more unrealistic.

 

[D365]

Surely a better way would be to use lay tracks on what is now the guided busway and link Huntingdon, St Ives and Cambridge, and build a track over to Bedford from Huntingdon. Then, make Huntingdon a stop on some EC services, providing a link from the ECML to this new line.

Post HS2, as with the WCML, I imagine the ECML will adapt a more semi-fast style. So more all stops trains to York/Newark/Lincoln and outer suburban runs. I could see Huntingdon featuring on some of these, but not on trains to the North East or Scotland.

Is there info on the possible costs and journey time differentials on the options? Is it better to connect into Cambridge from the north or south? And the ECML too...?

We can dream... Btw to all who have suggested Trumpington-Cambridge, the Guided Busway extends over the former trackbed here too, terminating at the pre-existing P+R site. With the amount of building in the area, presumably stimulated by these new links, restoring any railway on these sections will be physically, and most of all politically impossible. Always curious about these Cambridge HSR projects though

 

[jopsuk]

having a decent public transport link along the A428 corridor would be very attractive- Cambourne is reliant on the not very good Citi 4 bus and St Neots the X5 is easily delayed on the single carriageway parts of the road and takes a lengthy route into the city centre.

 

[Bevan Price]

BBC Look East reported on this story the other evening.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24079062



I found the Railfuture document showing outline route maps for the 4 options here:
http://www.railfuture.org.uk/east/docs/East-West-Rail-Routes-from-Cambridge-Sept2013.pdf


Option A1 uses existing line Cambridge-Hitchin then has options from there to Bedford (not specified) but presumbaly either new line direct from Hitchin or via Sandy then new line to Bedford.

How much remains of the trackbed of the Bedford - Hitchin line ? (The Midland Railway route to Kings Cross until St. Pancras was built.)

 

[WestCountry]

We can dream... Btw to all who have suggested Trumpington-Cambridge, the Guided Busway extends over the former trackbed here too, terminating at the pre-existing P+R site. With the amount of building in the area, presumably stimulated by these new links, restoring any railway on these sections will be physically, and most of all politically

Their Option B1 claims that it could share the alignment, which I think is quite plausible - there's loads of space from Long Road to the cutting at Trumpington (hopefully the curve can be put in without needing a third Long Road overbridge), and with some steepening of the cutting sides (retaining walls?) and possibly diversion of the cycleway/access road along that stretch it should be possible to squeeze in one or two tracks.

I'm not familiar with the layout of Trumpington P&R though - how much of that would they have to demolish/replan?

 

[D365]

Their Option B1 claims that it could share the alignment, which I think is quite plausible - there's loads of space from Long Road to the cutting at Trumpington (hopefully the curve can be put in without needing a third Long Road overbridge), and with some steepening of the cutting sides (retaining walls?) and possibly diversion of the cycleway/access road along that stretch it should be possible to squeeze in one or two tracks.

It gets pretty narrow coming in to Trumpington; single track busway and a reduced service/foot/cycle road. Maybe cut back the busway to Addenbrookes?

I'm not familiar with the layout of Trumpington P&R though - how much of that would they have to demolish/replan?

Pretty much the entire thing, as I see it...

 

[jopsuk]

Whilst for most the of the route the busway/cylceway currently has largeareas of land next to it, these are being developed as speak. It's also not a simple linear route- there's footpaths, a branch to the hospital and a new access road for the housing. The cutting at Trumpigton is quite narrow- so much that the busway runs singletrack through it. The whole bridge embankment and bridges on Long Road would need removed and entirely replaced to fit a railway in.

It's a nice idea, but it is unworkable, requiring the closure of a very busy P&R, the busway and Long Road (at least) for lenghy periods in order to carry out expensive building work.

 

[poshfan]

Why go to Cambridge at all? Why not go to Peterborough instead, via Kettering, Corby (need doubling), a new south to east curve at Manton, and then via Stamford to Peterborough. It is a roundabout route for those wanting to go to Cambridge, but on the other hand it has far better connections to the rest of the network, as it is already a major interchange between the ECML and East Anglia.

 

[edwin_m]

The Manton option is considered in one of the documents on the East West Rail website but although it has the lowest capital costs of the options looked at, it has both the highest operating costs and the lowest benefits.

This is probably because about the only new link created is between Corby and south and Peterborough and east. The rest of the route simply duplicates other train services and taking this indirect route is too slow to be much use for the possible new rail journeys like Bedford-Cambridge.

 

[TheKnightWho]

The rest of the route simply duplicates other train services and taking this indirect route is too slow to be much use for the possible new rail journeys like Bedford-Cambridge.

Or Oxford to Cambridge, which I suspect is a dream of Boris'; as much as I'd appreciate the link, it does seem like Peterborough would be a far more sensible endpoint.

 

[Eagle]

Or Oxford to Cambridge, which I suspect is a dream of Boris'; as much as I'd appreciate the link, it does seem like Peterborough would be a far more sensible endpoint.

Why would Johnson care about anything outwith the M25? :P

 

[CockneySparrow]

The document did state that connecting from the South meant that services would be able to run to/from Norwich/Ipswich without requiring a reversal at Cambridge. if they ran into Cambridge from the North they could run on to Stansted without needing to reverse

if they ran into the north track could be laid back through Haverhill/Sudbury and get into Ipswich that way

By doing that they can reduce services through Bury St Edmunds to Ipswich to free up space for the Felixstowe freight

But I do know it will never happen due to cost

 

[edwin_m]

Or Oxford to Cambridge, which I suspect is a dream of Boris'; as much as I'd appreciate the link, it does seem like Peterborough would be a far more sensible endpoint.

If the chosen route has a decent interchange with the ECML then journeys like Oxford or MK to Peterborough will be quite easy - and may are already possible by changing at Birmingham or Nuneaton. Whereas most journeys westwards from Cambridge are virtually impossible by rail.

I don't think it's really very much about Oxford to Cambridge, attractive as that may sound to certain people. Cambridge is a highly prosperous area wiht a labour shortage and is unlikely to want to build a lot of housing. A rail link to the west will allow commuting from places like Luton and Bedford (depending on route chosen) to share in this prosperity. That just isn't possible via Peterborough because it is so indirect. Just compare the distance between Peterborough and Cambridge via March and Ely with the direct route along the A14.

 

[Tobbes]

edwin_m is quite right - the through traffic between Cambridge and Oxford could be significant if the end to end time could be brought comfortably under two hours (this post shows the limited limited-stop schedule was a shade under 2 hours in 1964 - electrified it should be a little quicker).

But the Bedford / Sandy / Cambridge, MKC / Bletchley / Winslow / Oxford would provide new commuter flows along radial routes - there should be good opportunity for passenger - and, dare we say it, future housing - growth here.

Tobbes

 

[jopsuk]

I'm no cast.iron nutter, raging against things that have already happened, however if the St ives line had been reopened as a railway, not a busway, one possible useful route could have diverged after Histon, ran across to bar Hill, Cambourne then to St Neots, sweeping round to enter St neots from the north

 

[Tobbes]

I received the following email today on the Cambs county council consultation:

Tobbes
____________________________________________________________

Dear Ox-Cam supporter,

Cambridgeshire County Council have recently published a Draft Transport Strategy for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire and you’ll be glad to know that it
mentions a new railway from Cambridge to Bedford. A CCC leaflet about the Strategy is attached. The full Strategy is available at the website below.
However, the Strategy does not incorporate the new East West line properly into its plans, and instead has it as a possible add-on to new roads and guided busways.
No route options or new stations for the line are mentioned despite the timescale of the Strategy running to 2026.

If you live or work in Cambridge City or the district of South Cambridgeshire, or travel through them, once again we ask for your help. (If you don’t live, work or
travel in those districts, you can continue reading if you’re interested.)

Please visit the Strategy website - please copy and paste into your browser -
http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/tscsc
and click on ‘Complete the draft transport strategy survey’
Please note – the survey closes at 5pm on Monday 30 September.

You’ll be asked a series of questions. You can preview the questions by looking at the leaflet.
In the multiple choice questions, we suggest that you either ‘strongly agree’ or ‘strongly disagree’ as those choices carry far more weight.
Other questions with suggestions are as follows, but it’s much better to use your own words

Q: We want to create better cycle and pedestrian links in South Cambridgeshire. What villages, facilities and/or services would you like to see connected?
A: Better cycle and pedestrian links from market towns, new settlements, and villages to their nearest rail station.

Q: Do you have any suggestions on where new transport hubs, such as bus stops, Park and Ride sites and train stations could be located [in Cambridge or South
Cambs]?
A: Choose one or two from:
Addenbrookes Hospital (cycle, bus and new rail)
Trumpington P&R (bus and new rail)
Cambourne (new bus and rail)

Q: Please use this section to identify any gaps that you think exist in the strategy.
A: (Please put into your own words) The strategy does not properly account for the advantages of a new railway from Cambridge to Bedford. It is referred to as
‘challenging’, ‘not currently planned’ and ‘medium to long term’. These are equally applicable to new roads and busways proposed for the Cambridge-Cambourne-
St Neots corridor. The line could replace the new roads and busways with great advantages in terms of air quality / health effects, costs, and the ability to move
large numbers of passengers to and from the city centre quickly.

 

[D365]

Cambridge is a highly prosperous area with a labour shortage and is unlikely to want to build a lot of housing.

Unlikely to want to build a lot of housing, my backside.

Apologies if I'm sounding rude, but I'm preparing to see the town which I have lived in all my life grind to a virtual standstill with 750+ houses and an important A14 bypass/diversion narrowed to a village street. And that's not the entire story. The proposed Northstowe, just north of Cambridge, is to add 10,000 homes to a site on the Guided Busway, to give but one more example.

Just compare the distance between Peterborough and Cambridge via March and Ely with the direct route along the A14 and A1(M).

coughBUSTWAYcough. Even with the extended B service, a railway would still be superior.

I'm no cast.iron nutter, raging against things that have already happened, however if the St ives line had been reopened as a railway, not a busway, one possible useful route could have diverged after Histon, ran across to Bar Hill, Cambourne then to St Neots, sweeping round to enter St Neots from the north

Couldn't ever have seen that happening, it would always have had to be through Cambridge tbh.

I received the following email today on the Cambs county council consultation:

... Please visit the Strategy website - please copy and paste into your browser -
http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/tscsc
and click on ‘Complete the draft transport strategy survey’
Please note – the survey closes at 5pm on Monday 30 September.

Hmm, looks rather interesting...

 

[edwin_m]

Unlikely to want to build a lot of housing, my backside.

Apologies if I'm sounding rude, but I'm preparing to see the town which I have lived in all my life grind to a virtual standstill with 750+ houses and an important A14 bypass/diversion narrowed to a village street. And that's not the entire story. The proposed Northstowe, just north of Cambridge, is to add 10,000 homes to a site on the Guided Busway, to give but one more example.

I'll take that as meaning the local residents are unlikely to want to build a lot of housing (or at least one of them is). The council may think differently...

Potentially East West Rail reduces the amount of housing required round Cambridge by allowing people to commute in from less prosperous areas. Or if housing is necessary then it could be built along the new route to allow those living there to commute by rail.

 

[D365]

I'll take that as meaning the local residents are unlikely to want to build a lot of housing (or at least one of them is). The council may think differently...

Many thousands across Huntingdonshire and beyond. Local Town Councils are generally against plonking houses anywhere and everywhere without the infrastructure to back it up, but the District Council seems to be in it for the money... Though that's another story.

Potentially East West Rail reduces the amount of housing required round Cambridge by allowing people to commute in from less prosperous areas. Or if housing is necessary then it could be built along the new route to allow those living there to commute by rail.

I don't know what the current residents of Cambourne and the surrounding villages would say to that, but it seems rather an unexploited corridor to me, aside from the mentioned town. Would be especially interesting if combined with the long-awaited A428 dual from Caxton Gibbet to St Neots/Black Cat.

 

[ruggers]

knowing CCC everyone will want a railway, and they'll build another busway instead

 

[jopsuk]

the problem is getting a line to the 428 corridor. THe idea of going alongside/under the southern busway is bonkers. True madness. By the time anything is done, there's going to be housing developments up to both sides of the southern busway.

 

[mr_jrt]

I think the only viable option for getting into Cambridge is the northern busway corridor from Histon (so rough alignment from Cambourne to Histon via Bar Hill). Some guided buses already run down into Cambridge down Bridge Road there, so converting the line past there back to rail isn't so bad. You also have King's Hedges Road paralleling the busway all the way to Milton Road, and being on the road the routes can have more stops. Coming from the north, you then have non-reversal access onward to Stansted, which is probably far more useful a route than Ipswich anyway.

 

[OxtedL]

I think the only viable option for getting into Cambridge is the northern busway corridor from Histon (so rough alignment from Cambourne to Histon via Bar Hill). Some guided buses already run down into Cambridge down Bridge Road there, so converting the line past there back to rail isn't so bad.

You have some extremely expensive civil engineering to do to avoid the entrance to the Science Park in that case.