J Murphy & Sons has been appointed to develop a new railway station for Chelmsford's Beaulieu development in Essex.

It is the second of two contracts awarded by Network Rail.

The £124 million contract includes main construction work for the new station on behalf of partners Essex County Council and Chelmsford City Council. This phase of the work includes the construction for the new station facility, the associated infrastructure, and progress towards opening to train services for the benefit of passengers.

As part of a wider regeneration scheme, the new station has been designed to support the economic development of the Beaulieu area and its construction will include:

• Three platforms with a central loop line and new tracks to enable stopping services to call at the station while allowing fast trains to pass through unimpeded

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• Step free access to all platforms via 2 lifts

• Accessible toilets, baby change facilities, waiting area and space for retail/catering

• Ticketing facilities, with ticket vending machines and a gate line

• Pedestrian and cycle access routes to the station

• 500 spaces for cycle parking and storage

• A bus interchange including bus stands for local services

• Pick up and drop off area with dedicated taxi bays

• Parking for over 700 cars, 5% of which to be designated Blue Badge bays, and motorcycle spaces, as well as dedicated parking for station staff, emergency services, and a dedicated space for service access.

Beaulieu Park station is currently expected to be completed by end of 2025. Once open, the station will be managed by Greater Anglia and served by its fleet of new trains with services into London.

Katie Frost, Network Rail's route director for Anglia said: "J Murphy and Sons have made an excellent start with the enabling and civils works and this contract award will allow us to seamlessly continue to deliver this amazing new station for Chelmsford without pause.

"Beaulieu Park station is an excellent example of what the railway industry can do when working in partnership with local organisations to improve the railway for the benefit of communities and businesses by delivering a new station for the Beaulieu community."