This map shows the approximate location of the new station as proposed in the GRIP 2 report mentioned in my previous post.

The location is shown in red and the access road from Bannold Drove is shown in dark blue. Some of those points in the village where the walking distance is less to the new station are shown with blue markers; those where the existing station is closer are shown with red markers.

The main point is that, because the access is so far north along Bannold Drove, the walking distance for most residents of Waterbeach will be quite a lot further to the new station than to the old one on Station Road.

I have done a few measurements using Google maps and the walking times (in minutes) look like

Thus, unless you live either on Bannold Road north of the Way Lane junction or in the former married quarters, the walking distance will be less to the existing station.

Watch out for further comments on this and keep your eyes skinned for RLW’s outline planning application.

I’ve just found a very interesting document dated last October. I’m quite surprised that it hasn’t surfaced before. It’s called ‘NEW WATERBEACH STATION GRIP 2 REPORT’.

GRIP stands for Governance for Railway Investment Projects and is the process that Network Rail uses to manage developments to enhance or renew Britain’s rail network. The GRIP process apparently has 8 stages and stage 2 is defined as

Feasibility – Defines the investment goals and identifies constraints to ensure that they can be achieved both economically and strategically.

If you would like to read it, you can find it here. I’ll be digesting it over the next few days or weeks, especially since the Parish Council has recently had a presentation on RLW’s plans in this area. Watch this blog for further thoughts.