Bridge Work Means New Disruption For Cambridge Rail Users

Greater Anglia tells passengers there will be no direct trains between London Liverpool Street, Hertford East, Cambridge and Stansted Airport for six days.

The changes, from Friday 13 to Wednesday 18 January 2023 inclusive are due to major engineering work being carried out by Network Rail to replace the central spans of Nazeing New Road bridge in Broxbourne from early January, requiring temporary changes to train services over the six days mentioned and a four-month road closure.

The existing bridge sits over the West Anglia Main Line railway that carries trains between London and Hertfordshire, Essex and Cambridgeshire.

The condition and age of the bridge requires a regular maintenance and inspection regime to keep it safe for road and rail users. Despite remedial works being carried out between 2010-14, the bridge has continued to deteriorate and has reached the end of its useful life. It now needs to be fully replaced to avoid prolonged closure of this busy road across the railway. The new bridge is being designed to last 120 years.

The main work to remove the existing spans and install new ones will take place from Friday 13 to Wednesday 18 January inclusive.

During these six consecutive days train services will be suspended at Broxbourne.

Passengers should check before they travel through the Greater Anglia and National Rail websites, as well as other journey planning apps.

A summary of changes to services are shown below:

From London Liverpool Street to Cambridge and intermediate stations

On Friday 13, Monday 16, Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 January, there will be four trains per hour from London Liverpool Street to Waltham Cross, where there will be onward limited bus connections to Broxbourne and Bishop’s Stortford. From Bishop’s Stortford, there will be onward train services to Cambridge North or Harlow Town, calling at all stations. Rail replacement buses will be very limited.

On Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 January, there will be four trains per hour from London Liverpool Street to Waltham Cross, where there will be onward bus connections to Audley End calling at Broxbourne, Harlow Town and then all stations to Audley End. From Audley End, a train service will operate to Cambridge North.

Hertford East to stations north of Broxbourne including Cambridge / Stansted Airport

On Friday 13, Monday 16, Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 January, there will be no Greater Anglia trains or replacement buses on the Hertford East line. Passengers should make their own way to Broxbourne and travel from there on a replacement bus service to Bishop’s Stortford where they can board trains for Cambridge, Cambridge North and Stansted Airport, or towards Harlow Town, calling at all stations. The replacement bus service will be very limited, so passengers are advised to find alternative travel arrangements.

On Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 January, there will be no Greater Anglia trains or replacement buses on the Hertford East line. Passengers should make their own way to Broxbourne and travel from there on a replacement bus service to Harlow Town and all stations to Audley End/Stansted Airport.

Hertford East to London Liverpool Street

On Friday 13, Monday 16, Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 January, there will be no Greater Anglia trains or replacement buses on the Hertford East line. Passengers should make their own way to Hertford North for a Great Northern train to King’s Cross/Moorgate. Tickets will be accepted on Great Northern services.

On Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 January, there will be no Greater Anglia trains or replacement buses on the Hertford East line, so passengers should make their own way to Broxbourne for the rail replacement service to Waltham Cross. From Waltham Cross there will be four trains per hour to London Liverpool Street. Passengers can also make their own way to Hertford North for a Great Northern train to King’s Cross/Moorgate. Tickets will be accepted on Great Northern services.

Stansted Airport to and from London Liverpool Street

On Friday 13, Monday 16, Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 January, passengers travelling to and from Stansted Airport should travel via Cambridge on Greater Anglia services to Cambridge and then on Great Northern services to King’s Cross. Tickets will be accepted. London Underground will also accept tickets for travel from King’s Cross to Liverpool Street, and also on the Victoria Line between Tottenham Hale and King’s Cross.

On Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 January, airport passengers should take the rail replacement bus to/from Waltham Cross (direct bus with no stops) where a train service to/from London Liverpool Street, calling at Tottenham Hale, will operate all weekend. Rail replacement buses will be very limited.

To London Liverpool Street from Roydon

On Friday 13, Monday 16, Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 January, there will be no Greater Anglia trains or replacement buses to/from Roydon. Passengers should travel via local bus to Hertford North for a Great Northern train to King’s Cross/Moorgate. Tickets will be accepted on Great Northern. Passengers may also make their own way to Broxbourne from where the rail replacement bus service to Waltham Cross will operate.

On Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 January, there will be no Greater Anglia trains or replacement buses to/from Roydon. Passengers should make their own way to Broxbourne and travel from there on a replacement bus service.

To Cambridge / Stansted Airport from Cheshunt

From Friday 13 until Wednesday 18 January, passengers will need to travel to Waltham Cross by Greater Anglia train service where they can pick up the rail replacement service.

On the weekdays this rail replacement service will operate to Bishop’s Stortford for a train service to Stansted Airport or Cambridge North. The rail replacement service will be limited, so passengers are advised to find alternative travel arrangements.

On the weekends the rail replacement operation is extended to Stansted Airport or Audley End for a train service to Cambridge North.