Fenland District Council is on track to deliver a £3m improvement plan for Whittlesea station, says portfolio holder Cllr Chris Seaton. He says a project board has been reviewing options for the station “looking at the potential to lengthen the platforms and provide a pedestrian bridge along with car parking and access arrangements”.
Cllr Seaton, Cabinet member for Transport, Heritage, and Culture, says an Outline Business Case (OBC) is continuing to progress.
Cllr Seaton’s report – to be presented to Fenland Council on December 16 – contradicts the claim of ‘what has happened to the money?’ – made by Paul Bristow, the Conservative candidate for Mayor of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
Mr Bristow, the former MP for Peterborough, was accompanied on a visit to the station by, ironically, a Conservative district councillor.
Cllr Seaton says: “Following a public consultation in late 2023, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) approved up to £3 million pounds for Whittlesea Station from April 2024 to end of March 2027.
“The grant funding agreement with the Combined Authority is nearing completion.
“Early-stage feasibility work is assessing what might be possible within the constraints of the station site.”
The delivery of a £3million programme of enhancements at Whittlesea railway station was approved by Fenland District Council’s Cabinet in May.
Hereward Community Rail Partnership shared this lovely montage of photos in September from Station Adopters Geoff & Andrew at Whittlesea who “created a lovely display of colour over the summer! Their efforts of watering and dead heading continuously are certainly paying off.”A masterplan for Whittlesea station, drawn up by Fenland Council and the Hereward Community Rail Partnership some years ago, included high-level plans for a new station car park, longer platforms and a new pedestrian bridge.
Cabinet agreed that all proposals taken forward through the £3million enhancement programme for Whittlesea station will be subject to additional public consultation.
The report contradicts the claim made in recent days by Mr Bristow.
“It’s time to spend some money on Whittlesea station,” he posted to his political Facebook page.
“Been there with Cllr Elisabeth Sennitt Clough and Geoff Howes this morning to see a range of issues.
“When my dad was a Whittlesey councillor improving the station was one his projects.
“And a big chunk of cash was set aside by the Mayor and the Combined Authority. I wonder what has happened to that money.
“Issues like the pedestrian gates are forcing pedestrians and young mums dropping off kids at the nursery next door onto the road.”
Mr Bristow added: “When I am Mayor – I shall make sure Network Rail puts this right
“What do you think should happen at Whittlesea Station?”
At May’s Cabinet meeting that approved the £3m spending plan, Whittlesey East and Villages ward member Cllr Alex Miscandlon said: “I think this is a good way forward. Whittlesea station has suffered for many years with underinvestment, and I think bringing it forward as a main station, in view of the fact that Whittlesey is growing and growing quite considerably, to give us a better transport system out of the areas for work and leisure.
Council leader and fellow Whittlesey East and Villages member Cllr Chris Boden added: “It is a chicken and egg situation to some extent. The poor facilities and, for that matter the short and disjointed platforms at the station, discourage people from using the station.
“Therefore, additional trains aren’t put on and because there are so few trains, and the service is so infrequent people don’t tend to use the station and it’s important that that cycle is broken.
“One of the ways of breaking that cycle is through initiatives such as this to enable specific improvements to take place at the station to encourage more people to be able to use the station which may be able to be used to encourage the train operators to stop more frequently at the station.
“It’s not that we lack trains passing through the station, but the problem is too many passenger trains do exactly that. They pass through and they don’t stop so that will be a big battle ahead. It’s a battle we’ve been fighting for some time, but these proposals will assist in ensuring that that battle is eventually won.”
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Seaton, who is also chair of the Hereward Community Rail Partnership, said: “Further investment in Whittlesea Station will hopefully be a catalyst for further development of the local rail infrastructure, with additional trains making it easier for people to travel by train and bringing more regional and national opportunities within reach.
“The funding from the CPCA will enable us to work through viable options for the station, come up with detailed designs and bring them to fruition.”
Following the feasibility study work conducted as part of the Whittlesea Station masterplan, work was carried out to explore and rule out other options including whether an alternative site for Whittlesea Station might be more appropriate.
In 2022, it was deemed the cost of a new station would be prohibitive and unlikely to represent value for money.
Cllr Seaton has previously made the point that one note of caution is Ely Junction, which is still the ‘elephant in the room’ and it is still awaited for these monies to come through from the Government to start that process as it is still a big block in what is trying to be achieved. Only when that work is completed can the line through Whittlesea expect extra services.
