Cambridge South station delayed until 2026

The opening of Cambridge South railway station has been delayed until 2026, after originally been scheduled for opening this year.

In a letter to stakeholders, Network Rail blamed the delay on the Cambridge Re-signalling Project which is due to be finished by December 2025 and the ECML timetable changes which Cambridge South will be integrated into once opened as a reason for the delay.

The letter says, “new stations are not stand-alone projects. They need to be integrated into the complex rail network systems and opening dates are often driven by factors outside of the station project’s control.

“These two projects have had a significant influence on our plans to bring Cambridge South into service. If both milestones are successfully delivered as planned in December 2025, we will be able to open the new station in early 2026.”

Elsewhere, Network Rail has confirmed that the station’s interior will be fitted, with the main station’s mechanical and electrical systems being completed as well as the approach roads in the coming months. It expects the station to be finished by summer 2025.

This would then leave the completion of stage 2 of the Cambridge Re-signalling Project which will see a completely re-worked signalling system being installed between Cambridge station and the new Cambridge South station.

Provisional work on the station began in 2023 with the investment expected to exceed £200 million once open.