The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) has just published the long-awaited reports from Network Rail setting out the Business Case for a railway shuttle service from Wisbech to March. This will be discussed at the next meeting of the CPCA Transport and Infrastructure Committee on Monday 4th November 2024.
The plans to reopen the line have been progressing for over a decade, and in 2020 a CPCA commissioned business case was produced showing a good benefit to cost ratio of up to 3 for a scheme with a half hourly direct heavy rail or tram-train service to Cambridge.
At the time it was assumed that the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE) project would provide extra capacity through Ely to allow this new service. Unfortunately, the EACE project was, and still is, stalled awaiting government funding so in 2022 it was decided to study if there was a business case for a simple shuttle from Wisbech to March, and it is this study that has just been published.
The good news from the study is that the previous costs for reopening the line were reasonably accurate. The less welcome news is that reducing the reopening to a shuttle has a serious effect on the Benefit to Cost Ratio, caused by the longer journey time, unappealing and time-consuming change of trains in March onto the relatively poor rail service to Cambridge, and fewer people travelling.
We therefore call for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority commit to building the railway back to Wisbech, initially as a temporary shuttle service, but with a definite future plan, when the capacity at Ely is enhanced, of train service of at least once an hour direct to Cambridge and eventually, to Peterborough, matching the strong business case from 2020.
This will enable sustainable growth in Wisbech through the proposed new town suburb and will also benefit economic growth in Peterborough and Cambridge.
Wisbech is the only major town in Cambridgeshire without a railway station. Towns approaching its size, St Neots, Huntingdon, Ely, all have railway stations that are used by thousands of their residents each day for journeys long and short. Wisbech by contrast is in urgent need of this quality infrastructure to begin to make it thrive once again and enable its residents to simply enjoy the mobility their fellow county residents take for granted. People want a new station and service that inspires pride.
The plans to reopen the railway from March to Wisbech have just reached another critical point, with Network Rail publishing its long awaited March to Wisbech Strategic Option Appraisal Report and Wisbech-March Connection Socio-Economic Appraisal Options Indicative Report which together identify the costs, benefits and options for the scheme.
Recent History
Before presenting the results of this, a bit of recent history about previous work and findings as the reopening scheme has been progressing for over ten years might be helpful.
By 2020 a business plan had been produced and there was great optimism when the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) Board approved the plan. The Business Case decision was based on a service of two trains per hour operating between Wisbech-March-Ely-Cambridge, producing a very good benefit cost ratio of up to 3:1 and was deemed “good value for money”. It was based around the town’s current population of some 35,000 people and not conditional on the additional housing planned, which nevertheless, will double its population. The railway will enable the housing plans to be progressed.
Improvements to the adjacent road network and utility costs would be around half of the project’s predicted £200m cost (which excludes risk) as all level crossings would be abolished, several to be replaced by road over rail bridges. There would be a station close to the town centre at Wisbech, together with a 200-space car park and bus interchange, a passing loop at Coldham and a cycleway parallel to the railway between Wisbech and March.
From 2021 to 2022, Network Rail’s Design Delivery team conducted a comprehensive feasibility review. This identified a number of areas where further work would be needed; it was also clear that the assumption paths would be available through Ely for a service to Cambridge was very uncertain, given the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement scheme continues to be unfunded. It was decided to evaluate the reopening initially as a shuttle between Wisbech and March to remove this dependency.
March to Wisbech Strategic Option Appraisal Report
This brings us to the Option Appraisal Report which was completed in April 2024 but only now made public.
This report, produced by Network Rail’s Engineering Services and Light Rail Knowledge teams, evaluates all available on-rail modal options, focusing on the potential introduction of a shuttle passenger service between March and Wisbech.
The four core options considered in this report are:
Option 1: Provision of a heavy rail system. This provides a conventional heavy rail solution between March and Wisbech station. A fixed connection to the mainline at March provides access to existing heavy rail depot facilities and rail maintenance vehicle access.
Option 2: Provision of a Tram Train (hybrid heavy/light rail) system. This provides a Tram Train solution between March and Wisbech station. There is an option for a fixed connection to the mainline at March for access for rail maintenance vehicles.
Option 3: Provision of a tram (light rail) system. This provides a light rail solution between March and Wisbech station. There is no passenger service connection to the mainline railway. There is space north of March station for the provision of a depot and other support facilities.
Option 4: Provision of a very light rail (VLR) system. This provides a very light rail solution between March and Wisbech station. There is no passenger service connection to the mainline railway. There is space north of March station for the provision of a depot and other support facilities.
All options facilitate a rail shuttle service for passengers between March and Wisbech based on two trains per hour in each direction supported by a single track with a passing loop (double track) midway.
All options include a new terminus station at Wisbech, positioned adjacent to the end of Oldfield Lane, to the south of the Nestlé Purina site, north of Weasenham Lane, on the site of the former railway goods yard.
Options 2 and 3 include a further option for light rail running to a terminus in the centre of the town at Horsefair.
Now to the critical Benefit to Cost Ratios – which are shown in table 3.11 of the report:
This shows that the project has a very low BCR of between 0.10 and 0.27, dependant on the preferred option. This figure falls well below the threshold typically required to justify investment in transport infrastructure, where schemes with a BCR of 1.5 or higher are generally considered more viable.
So why has the BCR dropped so substantially from values up to 3:1 as calculated in the 2020 Business Plan? The table below shows the capital costs and the BCRs from the 2020 report:
The costs are broadly like the £152m for tram-train and £200m for heavy rail suggested in 2020, versus £147-£179m and £189-£230m respectively today. However, the BCR has dropped from 2.5-3.0 down to 0.18 for Tram-Train and 2.0-2.5 to 0.1 for heavy rail, i.e. the shuttle service only has benefits of around 5% of the through service proposals.
The benefits are looked at in detail in the second Wisbech-March Connection Socio-Economic Appraisal Options Indicative Report.
The devastating effect of not having a though service to Cambridge is best shown in table 3.6
This shows that the journey time saving is only from 132 mins to 111 mins – whereas a direct rail service from Wisbech to Cambridge could be envisioned to take 40 mins from station to station. Having said that, the 111 mins seems unduly pessimistic due to assumptions about the interchange time in March and also the poor frequency from Cambridge to March. The shuttle service has left the scheme to the mercy of the poor existing rail service along the corridor which Railfuture continues to campaign about – a service where the last train from Cambridge is at 21:00, and there is next to no service on Sunday mornings.
The result is only 60,000 passengers per year – or 164 a day – or assuming most of these are return journeys, just 82 return journeys a day. Overall, the report suggests the following flows giving 148,500 passengers per annum.
In contrast to this, the 2020 report suggested 451,000 passengers travelling per year to and from Wisbech, which looks reasonable when compared to King’s Lynn with its half hourly direct rail service with 757,034 entries and exits in 2022/23.
Meeting with Fenland District Council
The findings were presented to Fenland District Council. It expressed a preference for train-tram and train options, with several councillors noting that while the BCR is an important consideration, it should not be viewed as the sole determining factor. Members suggested that the service should be extended to Ely and Cambridge, with strong opposition to a shuttle service as a viable option. There was also some discussion around the potential for further extending the service to King’s Lynn.
It was recommended that the station be situated in the centre of Wisbech, despite the additional costs this would incur over Option 1. There was consensus that a station located at Horsefair would offer greater advantages than one within Wisbech’s existing train station footprint.
The Chief Executive highlighted that the District Council may wish to reassess housing growth figures to enhance the project’s economic feasibility, possibly leveraging land value capture. Furthermore, the committee was urged to consider the broader economic benefits, particularly if commercial and industrial land in Wisbech could be unlocked through enhanced east-west connectivity.
The Way Ahead
Options are to be discussed at the Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority Transport and Infrastructure Committee meeting on 4November 2024, including further investigating option 2, and possibly option 1 to look at the benefits in more detail and Consideration of Interim Measures.
This is a viable and valuable scheme which has simply been caught up in the impasse about capacity through Ely, ending up with the proposals to simply link a shuttle to the existing poor rail service, providing little in the way of journey savings and an appealing service. Small wonder the projected BCR is so dismal. Once the capacity issues at Ely have been sorted out, this will be a very well used service with strong benefits, transforming the prospects for Cambridgeshire’s largest town without a rail service, and supporting future housing in Wisbech. It is in this context that the benefits should be evaluated, and the shuttle service should just be seen a stepping stone to this ultimate
Wisbech and Haverhill are the focus of Railfuture East Anglia reopening campaigns, regularly featuring in the branch’s column in Railwatch. With populations of 35,000 and 27,000 respectively, and village catchment areas adding thousands more, both towns are in a region of strong economic and population growth that is centred on Cambridge – but both lose out by having poor transport links into Cambridge.
The local authorities in Cambridgeshire have commissioned a series of studies looking into their reopening, and Network Rail’s Light Rail Team has recently linked the two projects, suggesting tram-train could be an ideal technology to use for the reopenings.
So, what Is the progress so far? What are tram-trains? Are they suited to these reopenings? And what is the way ahead?
Read more in this article from Railfuture’s National Magazine Railwatch
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) is consulting over the LTCP, so this is a vital chance to make sure the reopening of the railway to Wisbech with through trains to Cambridge is clear in the plan.
Over the years the project has been slowly grinding its way through Network Rail’s eight stage railway investment process; the various public statements and published reports by the CPCA and Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) have all supported the railway with a half hourly service to Wisbech and through services to Cambridge.
However, the consultation and plan makes several references to Wisbech, but uses a mixture of inconsistent aspirations. The consultation itself uses the phrase “An innovative rail or ultra-light rail option to better connect Wisbech to onward journeys”, implying a shuttle service to March using untried technology linked to the poor existing service from March to Cambridge, and the plan uses a whole series of inconsistent suggestions for the link including “Rail or autonomous vehicles”, “rail, ultralight rail, and other high order transit such as tram/Light Rail Transit and Bus Rapid Transit are being considered”, ” potential ultra-light rail scheme”.
Please could you therefore make it clear to the CPCA that the LTCP should clearly and unambiguously state that the link to Wisbech should be a rail link with hourly through services to Cambridge.
To do this go to this link: yourltcp.co.uk …click on “Have Your Say” For Wisbech the important step is to select “3. Local Area Strategies” then select “Fenland” (you will need to fill in some of the other questions before submission – if these are of no interest just select “Not sure”) At the end of the page there are two questions: 8.b. To what extent do you agree with the proposed transport strategy for Fenland? 8.b. Please write any other comments you may have
We suggest you answer “Disagree” to the first question and in the part where you can type comments state that Wisbech needs a reopened railway with an hourly through rail service to Cambridge to achieve the travel transformation which the town needs.
To help, you can use the following points as inspiration for your reply: ● Only the reopening of railway from Wisbech with an hourly through railway service to Cambridge run as part of the National Rail network will bring the transformational benefits the town needs. ● This was concluded in CPCA and Cambridgeshire County Council reports and public statements. ● However the LTCP suggests this should instead be a shuttle service from Wisbech to March, so with none of the speed, reliability and convenience benefits of a through service dedicated to Wisbech and Fenlands needs. None of the alternative options listed in the LTCP will achieve these benefits. ● The LTCP should clearly and consistently support a through rail service from Wisbech to Cambridge.
Thanks for your help making sure Wisbech gets the railway it deserves.
At its July 2020 meeting the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Board approved the Business Plan outlining the best way to restore passenger train services from Wisbech to March. “Having examined many options, the FBC concludes that the most commercially viable solution is the heavy rail service – ‘proper railway’ – serving a station placed centrally in Wisbech. It says this would be transformative for the economic potential of Wisbech and that a two trains per hour service between Wisbech and Cambridge would reach the highest benefit-cost ratio…”
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee was asked to accept the conclusions of the Full Business Case – that restoring a heavy rail link between Wisbech and Cambridge would be practicable and offer value for money – and give the final version a thumbs-up.
Members approved the case – and if the Government backs the Combined Authority’s chosen option and helps with funding, the first commuters and passengers could be travelling into Cambridge by 2028.
Cambridgeshire County Council discussed Wisbech at its County Highways and Transport Committee on July 27th 2021 stating “Moreover it is important to note that the County Council is strongly supportive of the CPCA led project of Wisbech Rail reconnection and it is vital that train paths through Ely are provided for this service.”
LTCP references to the Wisbech to March rail link:
Consultation website: yourltcp.co.uk “March to Wisbech Rail Link” “An innovative rail or ultra-light rail option to better connect Wisbech to onward journeys. It will be reliable, regular and be a better choice than the car.”
Fenland section of LTCP linked to from consultation: yourltcp.co.uk/fenland/ yourltcp.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Draft-Fenland-Section.pdf Progress to date: £1.5 million has been approved to fund a study into a potential future rail link between Wisbech and March. Or Approach: Reopening the link by rail or autonomous vehicles to Wisbech will transform accessibility to and from the town. This will ensure residents and businesses in Wisbech are able to reach Cambridge in approximately 45 minutes through seamless integration with other public transport services allowing access to the opportunities across Greater Cambridge Wisbech Rail: Construction of a new link to Wisbech will transform accessibility of the town. Options for rail, ultralight rail, and other high order transit such as tram/Light Rail Transit and Bus Rapid Transit are being considered.
Guiding principles section of the LTCP which you see by downloading the whole draft document: cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk/what-we-deliver/transport/local-transport-plan/ yourltcp.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Draft-LTCP.pdf Productivity: ….including the potential for an ultra-light rail link to Wisbech…. …. A potential ultra-light rail scheme to connect Wisbech and its surrounding hinterlands would improve public transport connectivity and allow the area to truly meet its potential through the provision of greater accessibility…. Connectivity: ….we will investigate the potential reopening of the rail line between March and Wisbech with onward connections to Cambridge…
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The Ely Area Capacity Enhancements (EACE) Project and WisbechRail
It is a few months since we updated on progress being made with Wisbechrail. However, much does continue behind the scenes.
First a little background to stress that the railway is increasingly busy with freight services and now again after the mandatory lockdowns, with passenger services. Wisbechrail is for a future where there is a need to decarbonise and yet keep people on the move in a pleasant and time efficient manner. Into the future much more is being demanded of our existing railway especially at the junctions at March and Ely.
It is worth remembering that capacity on the railway just as on the road network is determined by capacity at the junctions, and for the desired half-hourly service from Wisbech to Cambridge there will need enough capacity though the junctions in the Ely area. The current work on the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE) and it’s “South” junction plan are of great relevance to Wisbechrail and was discussed by the Cambridgeshire County Council at its last meeting of the Cambridgeshire County Highways and Transport Committee on July 27th 2021.
It is good to note that the County Council welcomes:
· the increase in rail freight traffic in order to take it off the A14
· and for us, above all, stresses that there must be enough capacity after the new works are completed for Wisbech to Cambridge rail passenger services.
The Committee received a report that set out the proposed response to Network Rail’s consultation on the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement Scheme and sought a delegation to submit the final consultation response to the Executive Director for Place and Economy. It was noted that Local Members had been recently briefed by Network Rail on the scheme.
While discussing the consultation response, Members:
· Highlighted that concerns had been raised by local residents regarding the Kiln Lane crossing and called for assurances that the local area would be protected.
· Welcomed the scheme and noted that one of its benefits would be to reduce levels of westbound freight from Felixstowe on the A14.
· Emphasised the need for Network Rail to ensure the scheme sufficiently cater for a potential increase in future traffic levels due to additional services connecting Cambridge to Wisbech through the junction.
It was resolved unanimously to:
· Note and comments on Network Rail Consultation on the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement Scheme Consultation; and
· Delegate the agreement of the final consultation response to the Executive Director, Place and Economy in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Highways and Transport Committee.
Network Rail will begin to consult on the work on EACE “North” shortly. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has contributed £9.3m to these studies and as a result must have a powerful say in the capacity through Ely and how it is to be used. The DfT contributed £13.1m.
“Moreover it is important to note that the County Council is strongly supportive of the CPCA led project of Wisbech Rail reconnection and it is vital that train paths through Ely are provided for this service.”
“Increase capacity for a Wisbech to Cambridge service.”
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Transport committee members hail Network Rail partnership to bring Wisbech-Cambridge rail nearer. James Palmer, Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, has secured a powerful new partnership with Network Rail which can push Wisbech rail plans forward on the back of work to free up the Ely rail bottleneck. Steve Barclay, Member of Parliament for North West Cambridgeshire and Mayor Palmer have led the campaign to bring the railway back to Wisbech, including many meetings with rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris. Today’s Combined Authority Transport & Infrastructure Committee heard how those meetings have paid off, with the minister undertaking to consider funding the Combined Authority’s plans to restore Wisbech Rail as soon as work currently in hand to improve train services through Ely has been completed. Partnership with Network Rail means the plans to restore rail services for the ‘Capital of the Fens’ promoted by Mayor Palmer and Mr Barclay can be part of a joined-up operation that could free up Ely bottleneck and then get trains running firstly between March and Wisbech, and then between Wisbech and Cambridge. Members unanimously agreed to recommend the drawdown of £300,000 capital funding from the Combined Authority’s Medium-Term Financial Plan to enable the next steps towards realising Wisbech Rail. The Combined Authority will work closely with Network Rail during the next phase of work to get Wisbech back on track. Mayor Palmer’s integrated approach means the Wisbech Rail business case will be developed in accordance with Network Rail’s new project management style, building on work already delivered by the Combined Authority, assessing options for the Wisbech to March line, and finding significant cost savings. Fenland District Councillor Chris Seaton said: “I’m extremely encouraged to see that we have Network Rail getting involved in something that the Combined Authority has been solely pushing in the past. We all know that Ely North is the pinchpoint and really needs to be sorted so that the rest of the system can operate in a proper way. I’m fully behind this, I hope it receives support from Members and I’d be happy to propose this. “I’d like to thank you Mr Mayor for all the work you have put in to Wisbech Rail and the officers for the amount of time and work they’ve put into it, the investment into Fenland, into the various areas is so welcome and so much needed, so thank you all for your support.” James Palmer, Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough: “Connecting Wisbech and unblocking Ely will get the whole of Cambridgeshire moving and the wider East Anglia region. We’ve demonstrated the good value and good sense of taking forward these plans in a considered, joined-up way where projects dovetail and methods of working are time-efficient and cost effective. “This breakthrough partnership with Network Rail puts us inside the team, the idea being everything can be aligned and streamlined, with no waste of resources, no doubling up, and no unnecessary delays to getting these projects working for people who’ve quite frankly waited long enough.” The historic market town of Wisbech is one of the biggest settlements in England with no link to the main rail network. Improving connectivity to Cambridge will transform Wisbech as an investment opportunity, opening up services and a wider field of jobs for its residents. Initial work to review all documentation, options assessment and provide a programme and cost estimate for the next stage of work would take around 7 months with a budget estimate of £300,000. The outcome of this work, if given the go-ahead, will be reported at the November Transport and Infrastructure Committee and Combined Authority Board.
The Wisbech Standard newspaper reports more positive news in progressing the linking of Wisbech to to the national network at March. It is especially pleasing to note that the planning for the number of trains that have to be timetabled through the critical junction at Ely called North Junction, where the lines from March, Lynn and Norwich all meet to continue onto Cambridge or Ipswich, now include two each hour from and to Wisbech. Not only is the junction going to be remodelled to offer more capacity, the whole of the line from Peterborough and March to Ely will have the latest and most up to date signaling installed. Additionally, we have in the past supported the notion that a railway service from Wisbech as far as March should be put into place before the work at Ely is completed in 2028. It seems that is going to happen. So soon we should see the railway right of way being cleared between Wisbech and March, the tracks relaid and a new station at Wisbech being built. As the Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority says, the people of Wisbech have waited long enough…and we say just get on with it!Well done to all at the CPCA and Network Rail.
The Editor of the Wisbech Standard, John Elworthy reports:
Joined up thinking boosts Wisbech and Ely rail projects Network Rail has agreed to link improvements to Ely North with the growing demand to re-open the Wisbech to March line. Mayor James Palmer says a new partnership with Network Rail can push Wisbech rail plans forward in tandem with work to free up the Ely rail bottleneck. “This breakthrough partnership with Network Rail puts us inside the team,” he said. “Everything can be aligned and streamlined, with no waste of resources, no doubling up, and no unnecessary delays.” He said it would enable both projects to forge ahead and start “working for people who’ve quite frankly waited long enough”. Paul Raynes, director of delivery and strategy at the combined authority, has put forward proposals to the transport and infrastructure committee to allocate £300,000 for a next stage of the Wisbech line programme. It would “align Wisbech Rail with the delivery sequence of the Ely Area Capacity Enhancements”. Network Rail has been discussing – off and on – for years improvements at Ely and secured funding of £22.4m from the combined authority and Department of Transport to develop a scheme. There will another round of consultations in 2022 as the proposals to increase capacity through Ely progress to design options. Network Rail says: “The Ely North junction scheme was a proposal to improve the track layout of the main rail junction to the north of Ely station, however, this work was put on hold following the Hendy review in 2016. “This has given us the opportunity to review the wider capacity constraints around Ely which also need to be considered in order to meet the aspirations to run more rail services.” Mayor Palmer has met Chris Heaton-Harris, Minister of State for Transport, on two occasions to highlight the importance of both Wisbech Rail and Ely Area Capacity Enhancements. He said the minister subsequently confirmed that the Wisbech Rail project would be considered for funding alongside the business case for Ely. An initial service between Wisbech and March could be started with direct services to Cambridge following improvements in network capacity at Ely North Junction. “Connecting Wisbech and unblocking Ely will get the whole of Cambridgeshire moving,” said the mayor.“
Jubilation as the business plan for the restoration of passenger trains to Wisbech is approved. At its July 2020 meeting the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Board approved the Business Plan outlining the best way to restore passenger train services from Wisbech to March. As you can imagine, the decision was greeted with much delight in and around the town and district. “Good Value for Money” The Business Case decision is based on a service of two trains per hour operating between WisbechMarch-Ely-Cambridge. This produces a very good benefit cost ratio of 4.4:1 and is deemed “good value for money”. It is based around the town’s current population of some 35,000 people and not conditional on the additional housing planned, which nevertheless, will double its population. The railway will enable the housing plans to be progressed. Improvements to the adjacent road network and utility costs will be around half of the project’s predicted £184m cost (which excludes risk) as all level crossings will be abolished. Several of them will be replaced by road over rail bridges. The rest will be spent on: • a station close to the town centre at Wisbech, together with a 200-space car park and bus interchange • a passing loop at Coldham • a cycleway parallel to the railway between Wisbech and March
The project will involve significant investment at March in addition to the enhancements outlined in the June 2020 issue of RAIL EAST (186). Additional enhancements will include • the disused platform, now numbered 3, restored for Wisbech trains together with a 200-space car park on the north side of the station • the historic building on disused platform 4 being repurposed to provide a new north side entrance from this car park • step-free access from this new station entrance AND the existing southern entrance by the provision of a new footbridge/lifts across the centre part of the station to platforms 1-3 • considerable enhancements to the track layout and signalling with the two manual signal boxes abolished and their work being transferred to a new panel at Cambridge Power Box (see comment about ETCS on next page).
It is noteworthy that this project is more than the crucial provision of a railway station in Wisbech. The service to and from the town will also hugely benefit March as three trains an hour will operate to Cambridge. The Business Case predicts that the already high numbers of March users travelling towards Cambridge will be tripled by this extra service provision. The expected growth in new residents at Manea, Ely and above all at the new towns planned at Waterbeach and Cambridge North will be well catered for by this frequent Fenland stopping service. The funding for this important project has to be finally established. It may be descoped to make it more affordable, but it is worth considering that these overall high capital costs make for long term low operating costs and to reiterate, the CPCA Board agreed that the project is ‘good value for money’.
Finished and opened by 2028 The Business Case predicts a restoration of train services from Wisbech by 2028. This is several years away, but not long to get the resignalling and all the necessary capacity enhancements throughout the Ely area completed. Without this activity there can be no extra train services. However, there is a lot to do on the Wisbech line and at March. These works must be completed well before the resignalling works. Wisbech has waited too long already. We urge all our MPs and councils to lobby hard to get all these works funded and completed before 2028. ETCS – digital signalling Subsequently it seems this now may not be the signalling plan as it is reported that the introduction of digital technology on the East Coast Main Line between London King’s Cross over the 160kms through Peterborough to just south of Grantham by 2024, the country’s first major mainline deployment of European Train Control System (ETCS) signalling, will be extended on from Peterborough to March/ Wisbech, Ely and King’s Lynn, allowing the elimination of no fewer than 10 Victorian -era manual signal boxes. This is to be welcomed as ETCS will provide extra capacity along this already remarkably busy railway line.
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A welcome addition to local proposals for rail reopenings is the Welland Valley Railway Partnership which is proposing a short railway link near Corby to allow service to run from Kettering on the Midland Mainline, and Corby, through to Stamford and Peterborough with an idea they could be extended to reach March and Wisbech.
The Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority have shared the following historic announcement about the reopening of the railway to Wisbech which puts the project on course for trains to return to Wisbech in 2028.
In a historic vote, the business case for re-opening the Wisbech rail link was this week approved by the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority.
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee was asked to accept the conclusions of the Full Business Case – the FBC – that restoring a heavy rail link between Wisbech and Cambridge would be practicable and offer value for money – and give the final version a thumbs-up.
Members approved the case – and if the Government backs the Combined Authority’s chosen option and helps with funding, the first commuters and passengers could be travelling into Cambridge by 2028.
Wisbech Standard editor John Elworthy tweeted: “Hugely important day for Wisbech today as @CambsPboroCA signed off the final business plan to re-open the Wisbech to March rail line. I watched the moment live…make no mistake, this was a historic moment. A frisson of excitement running through me.”
The editor’s comments reflect a long and passionate campaign within the Wisbech community and surrounding area. Wisbech – ‘the Capital of the Fens’ – remains one of the largest towns in the UK without a rail connection. Residents of the town have pushed hard for the restoration of their passenger service, ended by the Beeching cuts in the 1960s, for decades.
James Palmer, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, joined and elevated the campaign upon his election, and has already met the rail minister the Rt Hon Chris Heaton-Harris MP to discuss plans for reviving Wisbech rail link and its potential funding.
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A welcome addition to local proposals for rail reopenings is the Welland Valley Railway Partnership which is proposing a short railway link near Corby to allow service to run from Kettering on the Midland Mainline, and Corby, through to Stamford and Peterborough with an idea they could be extended to reach March and Wisbech.
The Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority have shared the following historic announcement about the reopening of the railway to Wisbech which puts the project on course for trains to return to Wisbech in 2028. 