What to expect as work begins on Station Quarter

Work on Peterborough's £65m Station Quarter is under way, with the first phase already in progress and construction at the Queensgate roundabout set to begin on 6 July.

The project aims to transform the area between the railway station and the city centre, including the creation of a "City Link" walkway.

Works at the roundabout are expected to take until May 2027. Drivers have been warned to expect road closures and diversions.

What will Station Quarter deliver, and what works are starting?

Plans include a new western station entrance with drop-off points, a multi-storey car park and a walking and cycling route known as City Link.

The eastern entrance will be refurbished and will lead to a new pedestrianised station square.

Inside, the station will be reconfigured to make it easier to navigate, while the current car park will become a taxi rank, a drop-off zone and accessible parking.

It is being delivered by Peterborough City Council in partnership with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA), Network Rail, the government-owned property development company Platform4, and train operator LNER.

The total project is expected to cost £65m. Nearly £48m is expected to come from the government's Levelling Up Fund.

The rest will come from the Towns Fund, another government funding programme, and other partners such as Network Rail.

The first phase is the City Link, described as a new "gateway" into the centre of Peterborough for rail passengers.

Currently, the 10-minute walk into the city takes people through Queensgate roundabout underpasses described as dark and unwelcoming.

They will be replaced with a ground-level pedestrian crossing, providing direct access to Cowgate.

Preliminary work, including taking down trees at the roundabout, began in March. Main construction is due to start on 6 July and is scheduled to run until 14 May 2027.

There will be road and footpath closures and lane restrictions on the roundabout.

James Collingridge, a council officer with a responsibility for highways, said: "You'll come from the station, go through one underpass and then up to Cowgate, where there will be a signalised crossing for pedestrians.

"That will really improve the flow into the city centre."

During the 10 months of work, he said, traffic would be single-lane at points along the roundabout, but key routes would remain open.

"There will be traffic management in place to minimise the disruption.

"There'll be a small section that will be taken as the compound for the site works but the station car park will still be accessible as normal, and drop-off and pick-up will remain in the same location."

Shabina Qayyum, the Labour council leader, said the City Link would be "significant" for Peterborough's transformation.

"I want people to come into Peterborough and say, 'do you know what, we want to come back again'," she said.

"I don't want them walking under this subway where it smells of urine, it's dark and there is anti-social behaviour."

She added: "It really is about short-term pain for long-term gain… just visualise the transformation of the entrance to this city and what it's going to look like."

Collingridge explained: "The work is being done in phases. City Link is the first phase, then we move into the station square.

"The station phase is looking to improve the area outside the station, make it more inviting.

"On the western side, we're looking at a new station access, a multi-storey car park, so people that side of the city won't need to cross Crescent Bridge and come to the car park.

"We have liaised with the bus department, the taxi firms and throughout the scheme we will keep regular contact with them, so if there's any changes we need to make we can work with them.

"We've also involved the Business Improvement District and Queensgate, so they're aware of the works as well."

The project has generally received a positive response.

Some businesses hope it will improve footfall and help regenerate the area.

Andrew Pakes, Labour MP for Peterborough, said: "This project will bring jobs, investment and opportunities to the city."

The Conservative mayor of CPCA, Paul Bristow, said it was a "generational opportunity" for the city.

"The reason this [City Link] is so important is when people get off the train in Peterborough, the first thing they'll encounter is some scruffy old underpass with all sorts of anti-social behaviour," he added.

"I want them to be able to walk into our city centre and see Cowgate, which is one of the iconic streets in Peterborough.

"It's going to be a bit of pain while construction goes on, but It's going to be worth it."

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