Overview
- The first Greater Anglia train arrived at 7:20am on 26 October, confirming full opening of the £175 million station in north Chelmsford.
- Services run up to four trains per hour at peak and two off-peak, with direct journeys of about 40 minutes to London Liverpool Street and 25 minutes to Colchester.
- The scheme’s funding includes £141 million from the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund, £12 million from the South-East Local Enterprise Partnership, and £22 million from developers Countryside/Vistry and L&Q.
- Passenger facilities include three platforms and a passing track, step-free access via lifts, ticket gates, accessible toilets, 705 parking spaces with 10 EV chargers, around 500 covered cycle spaces, and extended local bus links; the station is staffed from first to last train daily.
- Officials say the station will ease pressure on Chelmsford’s main station, support the Chelmsford Garden Community, and deliver wider economic gains, with government projections of around 2,500 jobs and a £250 million boost alongside the Beaulieu Parkway relief road now in use and a North-East bypass planned.