New Essex railway station "steams ahead" to receive passengers from autumn
£175 million train station to open earlier than expected
Progress at the new Beaulieu Park Station in Chelmsford is steaming ahead, with the station on track to open its doors to passengers this autumn.
The construction is now entering its final stages with the new terminal completed.
Previously expected to open in 2026, the construction by Network Rail and its contractor Murphy began in March 2023.
Beaulieu Park Station will be operated by Greater Anglia and provide travel to London Liverpool Street in 40 minutes.
It will include three platforms, parking across two carparks, a public transport interchange, taxi rank, drop-off areas, cycling facilities and new track for passing trains.
The new station will ease pressure on the existing Chelmsford train station and reduce car journeys into the city centre.
The new Beaulieu Parkway relief road, which opened in 2023, will also help bring passengers to the new train station from the nearby A12.
In time, the Chelmsford North-East bypass will bring those travelling from Braintree and nearby villages to the station.
The first section of the bypass is currently being delivered by Essex County Council, which is planned to link into the Northern Radial Distributor Road which will be constructed by developers.
A planning application for the link road is due to be determined by Chelmsford City Council this summer, with construction expected to start next year.
The Beaulieu Park Station project received £175 million of funding.
This includes £141 million from the Government’s Housing and Infrastructure Fund, £12 million from the South-East Local Enterprise Partnership and £22 million from the developers of Beaulieu, Countryside (now part of the Vistry Group) and L&Q.
4,350 homes already have planning permission as part of the Garden Community.
This includes 1,989 new homes which have already been built, along with the Beaulieu Square Neighbourhood Centre providing local shops, community and health services.
This is in addition to the Beaulieu Park School - the first all-through primary and secondary school in Essex.
In the coming years, another 6,250 homes and another school campus are expected.
That is in addition to three primary schools with childcare provision, up to four standalone early-years facilities, more than nine hectares of employment space, and walking and cycling routes.
Councillor Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader at Essex County Council, said:
"The new Beaulieu Park station will play a role in transforming travel in this part of Chelmsford and surrounding areas will have a positive impact for years to come.
"I'm very much looking forward to the station opening later this year."
Councillor Stephen Robinson, Leader of Chelmsford City Council, said: “The new station is likely to be the biggest and most transformative piece of infrastructure Chelmsford will see this century.
Martin Beable, Greater Anglia’s Managing Director, said: “Beaulieu Park Station is the first new station on the Great Eastern Main Line in over 100 years.
The station will run up to four trains per hour during peak times and two trains per hour during off peak periods.
Services will be operated by a new fleet of class 720 trains.
Representing the developers of Beaulieu, Countryside (part of Vistry Group) and L&Q, Martin Leach, Manging Director of Vistry Strategic Land & Major Projects said:
“For over a decade, Countryside and L&Q has been working in partnership with Essex County Council, Chelmsford City Council and Network Rail to deliver this critical piece of infrastructure as part of our Beaulieu development.
"Its arrival will have a transformative impact on the residents of Beaulieu and beyond, providing easy and quick access into London and easing congestion in and around Chelmsford town centre.
“We have created a network of footpaths and cycleways throughout Beaulieu to connect residents to the station, and we are also providing a new bus link giving local people greener and healthier choices in how they travel.
"For those travelling to the station by car the new Beaulieu Parkway relief road and bridge provides access to the station from the A12 and A130.”