Skip to main content
Site logo

Main navigation

  • Home
  • About Vicky
  • Local Survey
  • News
  • In Parliament
  • Contact
Site logo
Infrastructure
Infrastructure

Better Infrastructure

  • Tweet
Army and Navy
Vicky outside Chelmsford Train Station

Chelmsford is England’s newest City and is growing rapidly.   We have outstanding schools, homes, shops and much going on.  We need world class infrastructure to match this.  As a former infrastructure financier I am committed to campaigning for better infrastructure for Chelmsford.

 

Army and Navy Junction

Within my first year as Member of Parliament for Chelmsford I had identified the Army and Navy as a key project and called for a Task Force to be set up to work on a long-term replacement.

The Task Force is currently considering four different options for the long-term replacement for the Army and Navy flyover. Work is continuing to assess and refine these four options - a hamburger roundabout, enlarged roundabout, two-way flyover and separate T-junctions. A final shortlist of options for the Army and Navy junction is set to be confirmed early in 2021.

Each option has been upgraded to include significantly improved walking and cycling facilities at the junction, while proposals are also being developed for the expansion of Sandon Park and Ride and a potential new park and ride site in Widford. The sustainable transport improvement measures are a crucial aspect of the project and part of a continued drive to encourage more people to walk, cycle or use the bus to get around the city.

I know the people of Chelmsford want to see a new and improved junction at the Army and Navy as soon as possible, but it is also important that we get the best long-term solution. It is good news that more detailed work is being done by expert engineers to model the likely impacts of each of the possible junction designs before options are narrowed down further.

The proposals are still going through the planning phase. They will also need to go through the full legal process before construction starts. I will continue to press for work to be done as swiftly as possible and for the public to be fully consulted. I would encourage residents to submit their views when this project comes to public consultation.

Do follow the Army and Navy Task Force website for the most up to date information on finding a long-term replacement to the flyover. You can find this here, www.essex.gov.uk/armyandnavy.

 

Beaulieu Park Station and North East By Pass

The development of Chelmsford’s second railway station at Beaulieu is a long-held aspiration to support growth in north east Chelmsford. Outline planning permission for the station was secured in 2014 and the parties are working in partnership to develop the station design which includes a central passing loop and three platforms. Plans are also being progressed for the accompanying integrated walking, cycling and bus strategy which will be supplemented by approximately 1,450 parking spaces. 

The new station will help to assist with pressures on the existing Chelmsford rail station, which currently services 8.5 million passenger trips a year. It is the busiest two platform station in the country outside of London.

£218 million funding for Beaulieu Station has been secured through the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund. This will be administered by Homes England and sits alongside contributions from the Beaulieu development and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership.

Beaulieu Station is a key part of the sustainable transport infrastructure needed to support housing development in Chelmsford. The new rail station, along with the new Chelmsford North East Bypass, will help enable an additional 10,500 new homes to be built in this part of Essex. It will support the delivery of infrastructure to foster long term sustainable housing growth.

Work is already underway on this project. Construction of the new station is a deeply complex project as it involves moving both the Eastbound and Westbound Main Line railway tracks, as well as all the signalling and infrastructure that are associated with this track. This is to allow for a passing loop, and three platforms, at the new station. The passing loop will provide additional capacity and improved network resilience, enabling more trains to run along the entire Great Eastern Main Line. It is my understanding that there will be trains that stop at both the new Beaulieu Station and the exiting Chelmsford station, as well as trains that just stop at one or the other.

The Network Rail team are currently completing the option selection phase of the project and expect to start design and consents work later this year. Network Rail believe construction could start in 2023 and complete in late 2025, with the station coming into service in 2026.
You can find out more about Beaulieu Station and the Chelmsford North East Bypass here https://www.essexhighways.org/Transport-and-Roads/Highway-Schemes-and-Developments/Major-Schemes/Chelmsford-North-East-Bypass.aspx.

 

National Infrastructure Strategy

The Government is committed to delivering once-in-a-generation investment in our infrastructure. In the 2020 Spending Review the Chancellor announced the biggest investment in new roads, railways, cycle lanes and zero emission vehicles, schools, broadband and housing, in order to build back better from coronavirus and level up across the United Kingdom. The Government is investing more than £17 billion in our nation’s railways over the next three years.

The Government are providing a number of multi-year capital settlements for roads, rail, hospitals, schools, broadband and housing. The Government will also publish a National Infrastructure Strategy, outlining a long-term vision for infrastructure investment. This will go alongside a refreshed Green Book, to ensure that infrastructure projects deliver the Government’s key priorities to level up the country.    

  • A £7.1 billion National Home Building Fund, on top of the £12.2 billion Affordable Homes Programme.
  • Better mobile connectivity with 4G coverage across 95 per cent of the UK by 2025.
  • The biggest investment in new roads, railways, cycle lanes and over 800 zero emission buses.
  • £15 billion of new funding for research and development next year.
  • Delivering the Prime Minister’s ten-point plan for climate change, creating 250,000 new green jobs across the UK.

News

Keeping Chelmsford moving as Army & Navy flyover remains closed

Friday, 30 August, 2019

Please see my Facebook page for my up to date statements on the Army and Navy closure https://www.facebook.com/Vicky4Chelmsford/  

Here is a statement from Essex County Council with some helpful information:

Stop Press - Beaulieu Park Train Station latest news

Tuesday, 20 August, 2019

It’s great to be able to share the truly excellent news that the Chancellor has now approved a £218m funding package to complete Chelmsford’s second railway station at Beaulieu Park and a North East Bypass connecting the A12 to the A131.  Once completed this will mean fewer vehicles travelling in

Chelmsford MP secures Prime Minister's welcome for Chelmsford’s £218m bid for a Second Railway Station and North East Bypass

Wednesday, 20 March, 2019

Chelmsford MP secures Prime Minister's welcome for Chelmsford’s £218m bid for a Second Railway Station and North East Bypass 

Chelmsford Rail Users Public Meeting

Update on Chelmsford Rail Users Public Meeting

Thursday, 14 June, 2018

Rail Commuters

Chelmsford Rail Users Public Meeting

Chelmsford Rail Users Public Meeting

Monday, 14 May, 2018

I receive a lot of questions from commuters about railway services. As a commuter myself I understand that the current service is often simply not good enough and that changes are needed.

Vicky Ford MP

Update on First Buses

Monday, 23 April, 2018

I have written to First Buses with a number of questions and concerns about the revised bus timetables in Chelmsford. These are the responses.

 

Issue 1

Beaulieu station briefing

Chelmsford Rail Summit called by Vicky Ford MP

Monday, 9 October, 2017

Today in Parliament, Chelmsford MP Vicky Ford brought together a rail station summit between the Department for Transport, Greater Anglia, Network Rail, Chelmsford City Council and Essex County Council to examine the state of the proposals for a new North East Chelmsford / Beaulieu Park Train Sta

Greater Anglia

Vicky Ford fights to get Chelmsford’s commuters back on track

Wednesday, 30 August, 2017

Official figures obtained by Chelmsford’s MP, Vicky Ford, have today revealed that over two thirds (65%) of recent delays on Chelmsford trains are caused by issues which fall under National Rail’s remit, including signalling issues, infrastructure faults and engineering works.

In the Commons

Questioning the Rail Minister about Chelmsford delays

Thursday, 13 July, 2017

Chelmsford has one of the country's busiest commuter stations but our train users have faced unacceptably frequent and often significant delays.

About Vicky

  • About Chelmsford
  • Campaigns

Vicky Ford MP for Chelmsford

Footer

  • About RSS
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies
  • Privacy
  • About Vicky
  • In Parliament
Site logoPromoted by Christine Garrett on behalf of Vicky Ford, both of 88 Rectory Lane, Chelmsford CM1 1RF
Copyright 2021 Vicky Ford MP for Chelmsford. All rights reserved.
Powered by Bluetree