Second Cambridge railway station 'delayed until May 2017'

Network Rail estimates there will be 3,000 journeys a day through the Cowley Road station

A second railway station in Cambridge is unlikely to open before May 2017, a councillor has claimed.

The £44m north city station was due to open in December 2015, but was put back to May and then to December 2016.

Cambridgeshire county councillor Ian Manning believes the opening will be delayed by another six months, after Network Rail submitted a revised planning application.

The company said it was "reviewing timescales for the project".

The station plans include a 450 sq m (4,843 sq ft) station building, three platforms and parking for 1,000 bicycles and 450 cars.

Access links to the site for the guided bus and cyclists were completed by Cambridgeshire County Council last year.

It will provide direct train services to London, King's Lynn and Norwich

Planning permission was granted by Cambridge City Council in August, but Network Rail's has revised its application to make changes to the car park and access road.

Mr Manning, the Liberal Democrat councillor for East Chesterton, said: "The county council has done all it's responsible for - it's entirely down to Network Rail that we're getting yet another delay."

The next city council planning committee meets in February and, even if the changes are approved, he fears further delays.

"It's an incredibly tight timescale and they've already delayed this by a year - they really need to get a move-on," he said.

A Network Rail spokesman said: "We have submitted a planning application to the council to make changes to the car park and access road, which is due to be considered by the local authority.

"We are reviewing timescales for this project and will confirm dates in due course."