Mayor Dr Nik Johnson has been on a fact-finding tour to look at how £48m won by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CAPCA) could be spent on improvements to Peterborough station.
Always a pleasure to be in Peterborough. outside the station. very welcome £48 million – it’ll transform things, everyone involved in winning that money should feel very proud. Really was a massive team effort –@CambsPboroCA Heading in for a tour and a chat -more from me later pic.twitter.com/Qrf8j41Xiw
— Mayor Dr Nik Johnson (@NikJohnsonCA) October 13, 2023
Additional match funding to bring the total to around £65million is expected to come from Peterborough City Council, Network Rail and LNER, enabling future private investment in commercial and residential development as a further phase of the Station Quarter programme.
Dr Johnson jumped on a train today at Cambridge for the journey to Peterborough “to understand the connectivity between these two wonderful cities”.
Through the secret door – Potential Platform 6 1/2 ? Future Western entrance of #Peterborough station – £48million LUF Funding secured @CambsPboroCA working with partners-all very positive with @networkrail , ready to jump on @CrossCountryUK for train to #Cambridge pic.twitter.com/J6oPkmTvpL
— Mayor Dr Nik Johnson (@NikJohnsonCA) October 13, 2023
He promised, that CAPCA, working with partners, would deliver for the Peterborough community.
It is just over a year ago that CAPCA submitted its Levelling Up Fund bid to the Government for around £48million for the first phase of redevelopment of the area around Peterborough rail station – known as the Station Quarter.
Peterborough City Council and CAPCA collaborated on the bid for the Peterborough Station Enhancements and Connectivity Project and were told earlier this year the bid had been successful.
Dr Johnson said: “Regenerating the Station Quarter will uplift not just the city but the whole of Cambridgeshire and beyond, helping take the east of England to a new level, and making Peterborough itself greener and ever more welcoming to visitors, investors, and businesses.”
No Midnight train to Georgia for the Mauor – it’s the 10.28 to Cambridge for me pic.twitter.com/RVAg3pU0EJ
— Mayor Dr Nik Johnson (@NikJohnsonCA) October 13, 2023
The project involves creating a new western entrance to the station with a car park – to create a double-sided station – with a new wider footbridge over the train lines.
This will alleviate pressure on city centre roads, making it easier and safer to travel around the city by bicycle. Green areas with biodiversity, community spaces and better connections to the city centre will make it safer and more attractive for bikes and pedestrians.
Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald, leader of Peterborough City Council, has described it as “a once in a lifetime opportunity for our city centre. It will cut carbon emissions and make our city easier and safer to walk around, while stimulating business and providing economic benefit to our city – both during and after construction.”
An LNER spokesperson said: “LNER is pleased to support this redevelopment bid as part of plans to transform and enhance Peterborough Station Quarter, bringing benefits for customers, the community and wider Cambridgeshire and Peterborough areas.”
you’ve heard so much about it – the Ely Junction – 3 lines from Norwich, Kings Lynn , Peterborough converging into 1 .Now to get the next stage going
– better connectivity
– more frequent Cambs – Pboro
– more rail freight
– less freight on roads
– good for environment pic.twitter.com/DI99edgruA— Mayor Dr Nik Johnson (@NikJohnsonCA) October 13, 2023
Construction work on the first phase could take place between 2024 and 2026, with wider development of the Station Quarter continuing up to 2028.
The £48m will be delivered in £5m tranches and a progress report after each instalment of government money will need to be submitted as part of the deal.
