Published on: Wednesday, 28 January 2015
Last updated: Wednesday, 5 October 2016
The Transport Minister Robert Goodwill MPwill visit Cambridge on Thursday 29 January to officially begin the works onthe city station’s new £2.5m CyclePoint.
Funded through the CB1 development led byBrookgate and Network Rail, and with supporting funding from the Department forTransport and Cambridgeshire County Council, CyclePoint will significantlyimprove cycle parking for rail passengers using Cambridge station, which is oneof the busiest regional stations in the country, in a city renowned for cycling.
CyclePoint includes safe and secure parkingfor 3,000 cycles, all under cover and within a secure building, with featuressuch as a retail and repair facility and cycle-hire. The CyclePoint will bebuilt by contractor Galliford Try as part of a new hotel building adjacent tothe station, and forms one of the first key customer benefits of the wider CB1and Station Square development at Cambridge station, which is being developedby Brookgate. This project will see new housing, offices and retail to supplementthe much improved station facilities being delivered by Abellio Greater Anglia,all of which will transform the environment of the station and surroundingareas.
Cambridge is the second station in theregion to benefit from CyclePoint, a unique concept brought to the UK from theNetherlands by Abellio. It combines all the services required by cyclists in asingle high quality facility on the station site, which reflects the importanceof cycling to the city and the local community. The first such Cyclepoint inEast Anglia opened at Chelmsford in 2013, with parking for 1,000 cycles. CambridgeCyclePoint is however set to become the biggest facility of its kind in the UK,and a rival to similar projects elsewhere in Europe.
Jamie Burles, Managing Director, AbellioGreater Anglia said: “The start of works on the CyclePoint is a significantstep in the project to improve facilities for rail passengers using Cambridgestation, and I am particularly pleased to welcome the Transport Minister RobertGoodwill to officially mark the beginning of this exciting scheme, whichconfirms our commitment to sustainable forms of transport and the whole Door toDoor journey.”
Sven Topel, CEO, Brookgate, said: “We aredelighted to welcome the Transport Minister Robert Goodwill to the CB1development to mark the start of works on CyclePoint. As the gateway to a city renowned for itscycling, this location is the natural choice for a world-class storage andmaintenance facility. This is a key part of our plans to regenerate the areasurrounding Cambridge station with commercial, leisure and residential space,alongside new public realm and transport links.”
The Minister will also welcome PlusBike, anew online resource designed to make it easier for rail passengers to cycle toand from the station. PlusBike is a new feature of National Rail Enquiries’(NRE’s) online channels, and provides a one stop shop for comprehensiveinformation on cycling facilities available at stations and on trains inBritain. Developed by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) andNRE, and funded by the Department for Transport, the new addition to NRE appsand web platforms will make it easier for both existing and new cycle-railpassengers to quickly find out about the number and type of parking spaces andlevel of facilities at any given station. It will also link you directly to anyexisting cycle hire scheme available near the station.
Conrad Haigh, Head of Integrated Transportat ATOC, said: “PlusBike and other improvements to online information will makeit so much easier for passengers getting to and from stations by bicycle to beaware of new facilities, such as new cycle hubs like Cambridge. Together, boththese show the industry’s dedication to improving the experience for those whowant to combine bike and rail as part of their door to door journey, andencouraging more passengers to try this convenient, economical andenvironmentally friendly mode of travel.”