The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has formally authorised the new Beaulieu Park railway station, clearing the final regulatory hurdle for it to open to passengers on Sunday, 26 October. The station will serve the growing Beaulieu and Channels neighbourhoods to the north-east of Chelmsford and is the first new station on the Great Eastern Main Line for over a century.
The authorisation is a critical milestone, confirming that the new infrastructure meets required standards across areas including health and safety, accessibility, environmental protection, and reliability.
Boosting Capacity and Connectivity
Beaulieu Park station was developed by Essex County Council and Chelmsford City Council and delivered by Network Rail, with funding provided by government and local partners. It will be operated by Greater Anglia, offering commuters travel to London Liverpool Street in approximately 40 minutes.
The new facility features three platforms and a central loop. This design is crucial for increasing capacity and resilience on the busy route, as it allows stopping services to call at the station while faster trains pass through.
The station provides a range of modern amenities for passengers, including:
- Step-free access
- Ticketing facilities
- A bus interchange
- Parking for over 700 cars
- Storage for around 500 cycles
Regulator Praises Collaboration
The ORR worked closely with Essex County Council, Network Rail, and the wider project team throughout the authorisation process, ensuring that necessary checks and surveys were successfully completed.
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.”
