Improvements at Liverpool Street as Network Rail sets out £2.6 billion, five-year funding package for Anglia route

Network Rail has set out a £2.6 billion, five-year funding package for “a simpler, better, greener railway that provides the best level of train performance possible” for the Anglia route.

It aims to deliver an updated timetable to reflect current and future market demands, a commitment to get more freight moved by rail as part of a wider sustainable transport strategy and to enhance the quality of service for passengers.

Improvements will be delivered at London Liverpool Street station, now Britain’s busiest. These include doubling the number of ticket gates in front of platforms 1-10 by moving retail units to improve pedestrian flow and reducing bottlenecks and congestion as people get on and off trains. Plans to modernise the public address system will provide clearer information for passengers.

The train shed roof will be renewed, bringing more natural light into the station as well as “improved resilience against increased rainfall”.

Network Rail Anglia is trialling new technology and investing in accessibility research to ensure the needs of passengers are centred when considering station improvements.

With 720 level crossing locations across Anglia, more than any other route, reducing risk and improving safety will also be a priority – through technology to enhance existing crossings or by closing those where there are alternative routes.

Infrastructure upgrades will include completing a major resignalling project in Cambridgeshire, and two new stations are planned to open in 2025 – at Cambridge South and Beaulieu Park in Chelmsford.

Lawrence Bowman, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said: “The next five years will bring some exciting challenges for us as an industry and opportunities to make journeys better for passengers and improve their overall experience of travelling by rail.

“We’ll be improving our infrastructure with new stations, upgraded signalling and enhancing our timetables for our freight customers. We will be supporting the increased use of rail to move more goods and materials across the region and the country in a more sustainable way.”

He added: “We’ll be supporting local communities by improving safety at level crossings and the way we manage biodiversity and our lineside environments to help build a greener railway for everyone that is more resilient to extreme weather events.

“Collaboration and teamwork with all of our rail industry partners, contractors, suppliers and the communities we serve will be a key component of our success over the next five years as we embark on the next five-year journey and write the next chapter for the railway in Anglia.”