The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has given official authorisation for the opening of Beaulieu Park railway station, which is now due to open to passengers on Sunday 26 October.
The new station will serve both the Beaulieu and Channels areas to the north-east of Chelmsford, marking the first new station constructed along the Great Eastern Main line for more than 100 years.
Developed by Essex County Council & Chelmsford City Council and delivered by Network Rail, funding for the station was provided by both the government and local partners.
Operation of the staton itself will be handled by Greater Anglia, with services including trips to London Liverpool Street in 40 minutes.
The station features three platforms, as well as a central loop that allows services to call whilst fast trains pass through. Ticketing facilities are available at the station, which has been installed with step-free access, 500 cycle spaces, 700+ car parking spaces and a bus interchange.
Steve Fletcher, Deputy Director, Engineering and Asset Management at ORR, said:This is an important step for improving rail connectivity in and around Chelmsford, and indeed for the whole of the Great Eastern Main Line. We look forward to seeing the new station open for passengers soon.
We’re pleased to have played our part in getting Beaulieu Park ready to open. Our team worked closely with Network Rail and Essex County Council to support them through the authorisation process, just as we do for new trains and infrastructure across the country.
