Together with the Isaac Newton Line, regional connections to Cambourne (Phase 2), Haverhill (Phase 3), Burwell (Phase 3) and Bar Hill / Northstowe (Phase 3) will provide good public transport to these centres with strategic access into the Cambridge from lower-cost housing areas. This could support the developments in these areas, and help to address the extreme strain on housing provision within the city of Cambridge. Light Rail connections will also relieve vehicle traffic pressure on the road network (e.g. A1303, A1307, A10, A14, M11, A11), attracting people onto an alternate and sustainable mode whilst reducing the need for road capacity expansion.
The suggested Cambourne extension would be co-aligned with existing A428. At Hardwick this could run on the north side of the A428 and run to the city via the Girton Interchange. In the southeast, the regional extension would link Granta Park to Linton and Haverhill via the old rail alignment that previously followed this route. All regional extensions would be overground.
The regional connection to Haverhill aligns with needs identified by the Rail Haverhill group, which is promoting restoration of a railway link between the City of Cambridge and the fast growing market town of Haverhill.
Waterbeach would be supported by the existing heavy rail link. With relatively frequent services on this line, the need for a light rail link to Waterbeach at this juncture seems premature. We also propose a new stops on the main rail line to Newmarket, including Cherry Hinton, Capital Park and Fulbourn. Tram-Train could serve these stops very effectively.
View all Cambridge Light Rail phases …
Download the Isaac Newton / Darwin Line and city network (Version 10.2, 17 Nov 2022) as pdf (377 KB)
Download the Cambridgeshire Regional network (Version 10.2, 17 Nov 2022) as pdf (540 KB)