Travelling from Waterbeach New Town to Cambridge could one day be transformed
Three major projects are under discussion to overhaul the way people travel between Waterbeach New Town and Cambridge. These plans, which are under discussion after the Greater Cambridge Partnership published reports to its Joint Assembly, aim to relieve strain on the crowded A10 and make it easier to travel without having to use a car.
The Waterbeach to Cambridge scheme, the Waterbeach Greenway and the proposed relocation of Waterbeach Railway Station would unlock thousands of new homes at Waterbeach New Town. They would also provide frequent and reliable public transportation options in the area.
Waterbeach to Cambridge
The Waterbeach to Cambridge scheme involves building a busway between Waterbeach New Town and Cambridge via Landbeach alongside a new walking and cycling route. This would allow A10 drivers to have the option to leave their cars outside the city and reach their destination on public transport.
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A maintenance track alongside the busway could also be used as a new walking and cycling route. This would link with other routes and transport hubs. If approved by the GCP’s Executive Board, the GCP will ask Cambridgeshire County Council – as the highways authority – to submit a Transport & Works Act Order (TWAO) application to the Government for permission to progress the scheme.
Waterbeach Greenway
The assembly will be asked on October 16 to consider a revised route for the northern section of the Waterbeach Greenway after flooding concerns were raised.
Last October, the GCP held a consultation on the newly proposed alignment which follows a route behind the A10 and through Milton Village. Additional spurs linking the Greenway to Denny End and to improvements being delivered in Waterbeach by Urban & Civic were also included.
The scheme seeks to provide new and improved walking, cycling and – where appropriate – equestrian links between Cambridge and villages to the north of the city, as well as onward links to employment sites and public transport hubs. It is one of 12 Greenway routes in development.
Improvements to Cowley Road, which forms part of the Waterbeach Greenway, are already underway. The improvements to Cowley Road will include the widening of the existing path to create a two-way cycleway and footpath.
Relocation of Waterbeach Railway Station
To unlock the delivery of thousands of new homes as part of the Waterbeach New Town development, the GCP is proposing to support the relocation of Waterbeach Station. An application for up to 4,500 new homes as part of the new town development was approved by South Cambridgeshire District Council in 2021.
But the scheme is subject to the delivery of a new station, and it cannot be delivered under a traditional planning gain arrangement. The GCP’s Executive Board agreed in 2022 to provide £20m to plug the funding gap to enable the station to be relocated by 2025 but, following discussions with the developer, a further £17m is required to forward fund the station.
This funding will be provided by Homes England alongside funds to construct a new haul road to the station. The scheme would not only safeguard the delivery of thousands of new homes, but it would link into the Waterbeach to Cambridge and Waterbeach Greenway projects to create a joined-up travel network to cut congestion and improve air quality along the busy A10 corridor.
The assembly will be asked to consider the business case for the project ahead of the Executive Board meeting on November 7 where members will be asked to agree the budget. To read the papers to the assembly, visit Cambridgeshire County Council’s website.
To find out more about the GCP's transport projects visit www.greatercambridge.org.uk.