A major UK transport milestone The £175m Beaulieu Park Station in North Chelmsford has officially opened ahead of schedule, marking a major transport milestone for the area and unlocking further growth across the wider region. Murphy, as Network Rail’s principal contractor on the project, began construction in March 2023 with completion expected in 2026, however good progress meant the station was able to open early. Nick Fletcher, UK Managing Director for Murphy, said; “The early completion of such a complex project – encompassing railway systems, highways, and the station building – is a testament to the collective expertise of all stakeholders. “At Murphy we are committed to improving life by delivering world-class infrastructure, we hope this station benefits passengers for many years to come.” Katie Frost, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia said: “Today marks the first time a new station has opened on the Great Eastern mainline in over a century. And to do this in the 200th anniversary of the railway shows how relevant it still is to the millions of passengers who use it each year. “It’s taken a lot of hard work and dedication by our partners at Essex and Chelmsford working with the rail industry and our delivery contractor, Murphy, to open this new station. And it shows how public and private sector can work together to create the transport infrastructure necessary to serve a new community. “I’m so grateful for the patience our customers have shown us while we’ve been busy delivering this fantastic new transport hub, so thank you to everyone that has been with us on this journey to build and open Beaulieu Park station.” Located on the doorstep of what will become a community of 10,000 new homes, passengers can now travel from north Chelmsford to London Liverpool Street in 40 minutes and to Colchester in 25 minutes. The new station was officially opened by the Rt. Hon Kemi Badenoch as local MP for North West Essex and Lord Hendy CBE, the Minister for Rail, as they unveiled a plaque commemorating the station opening in the 200th year of rail in the UK. Operated by Greater Anglia, Beaulieu Park Station will ease pressure on Chelmsford’s existing station and reduce car journeys into the city centre. Local residents can access the station with extended bus connections, new and improved walking and cycling routes and over 700 parking spaces across two car parks. The landmark infrastructure project began after £175 million of funding was secured by partners including Homes England, Essex County Council, Chelmsford City Council, the South East Local Enterprise Partnership and housing developers Countryside (part of Vistry Group) and L&Q. The station is a significant addition to the Beaulieu and Channels neighbourhoods in the north of the city, which form the first phase of the new Chelmsford Garden Community. The garden community will eventually comprise over 10,000 new homes. 4,350 homes already have planning permission, including almost 2,000 which have been built. A further 6,250 homes will be delivered over the coming years pending final planning approval. Beaulieu Park Station will provide easier and quicker access to jobs, helping the economic development of the area and encouraging further investment. A new road – Beaulieu Parkway – opened two years ago and helps bring passengers to the new train station from the nearby A12. Planned housing growth will be further supported by much-needed infrastructure such as shops, community services, health services, schools and transport links. You can read more about the project on our case study page. HIGHLIGHTS First new station on the Great Eastern mainline in over a century Completed ahead of schedule Project scope included railway infrastructure, station buildings and local highways
