Railway station opening delayed for second time

Cambridge South's opening was originally scheduled for December 2025, but has been put back until next summer

A new railway station in Cambridge has had its opening delayed after a contractor entered administration.

Cambridge South was scheduled to open in early 2026, having already been delayed from a planned opening this December.

However, a letter sent by Network Rail to stakeholders said a sub-contractor was in a "critical internal fit-out of the station's electrical and mechanical systems" when it went bust.

The letter also said there was a need for "additional design and construction work", which has "also contributed to the delay to this stage of the project". It said it now hoped to open to passengers in June.

Cambridge South will be the city's third railway station and is being built next to the biomedical campus, which has 23,000 staff.

The letter from Katie Frost, Network Rail's route director for Anglia, said it was "working closely" with the principal contractor "to integrate the replacement sub-contractor, reallocate resources to minimise the delay as far as possible and manage the remaining risks that remain to the programme".

"We are confident that we can overcome these challenges and deliver the new station in June 2026 so that trains can start to call at Cambridge South," she said.

"We will also continue to pursue all opportunities with our contractor to accelerate the delivery where possible and, if we are successful, we will aim to open earlier."

Liberal Democrat city councillor Olaf Haulk, who represents Trumpington ward where the station will be located, said it was "really disappointing news".

"The station is expected to serve around 1.8 million passengers a year. Its opening has already been delayed by several months - meaning more than a million journeys will now not be made by train, with many instead made by car.

"Residents in my area had been really excited about the station opening soon - and it's just been dashed, again."