Progress at the new Beaulieu Park Station in Chelmsford is steaming ahead.
The railway station is now expected to open its doors to passengers from autumn 2025.
The station was previously expected to open in 2026. Good progress by Network Rail and its contractor Murphy means it is now expected earlier.
The new station will transform travel in the north of Chelmsford. It will ease pressure on the existing train station and reduce car journeys into the city centre.
Beaulieu Park Station will be run by Greater Anglia and offer:
- travel to London Liverpool Street in 40 minutes
- three platforms
- two carparks
- public transport interchange
- taxi rank
- drop-off areas
- cycling facilities
- new track for passing trains
The Beaulieu Parkway relief road will help bring passengers from the nearby A12. In time, the Chelmsford North-East bypass will bring those from around Braintree.
Beaulieu Park Station is a significant addition to the Beaulieu and Channels neighbourhoods. These form the first phase of the new Chelmsford Garden Community.
4,350 homes already have planning permission as part of the Garden Community. This includes 1,989 new homes which have already been built.
Other parts of the Garden Community include:
- Beaulieu Square Neighbourhood Centre - providing local shops, community and health services
- Beaulieu Park School - the first all-through primary and secondary school in Essex
In the coming years, the Garden Community will feature:
- another 6,250 homes
- a second all-through school campus
- up to three primary schools with early years and childcare
- up to four standalone early years facilities
- over nine hectares of employment space
- walking and cycling routes
Beaulieu Park Station will help the economic development of the area and encourage further investment.
Councillor Louise McKinlay, our Deputy Leader, said: "Essex is pioneering the type of infrastructure-supported growth that's on the national agenda, being bold and ambitious in our commitment to future-proofing the county and putting investment where it's most needed.
"The new Beaulieu Park station is testament to this, and the role it will play in transforming travel in this part of Chelmsford and surrounding areas will have a positive impact for years to come.
"The progress being made to build the station is remarkable and I want to thank everyone involved for their hard work to get the project to this stage. I'm very much looking forward to the station opening later this year."