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  • Hitchin flyover

  • Hitchin flyover aerial view

    On Schedule

    We are building a flyover at Hitchin to prepare for increased demand on the East Coast Main Line. The flyover will carry trains between London and Cambridge over the main line, opening up one of the main bottlenecks at Cambridge Junction.

    What we are doing?

    Together with our chosen contractor, Hochtief Construction UK, we have created the Hitchin Alliance to deliver the improvements. We recently began work to widen the section of Stotfold Road between Hitchin and Letchworth. This will act as the entrance to our worksite which is currently under construction.

    In order to realise the scheme, a temporary haul road will be built along the length of the new route, and will connect to the widened section of Stotfold Road at a new temporary road junction.

    The viaduct will be constructed of steel beams with a concrete deck and piers. The laying of the foundations and the lifting of the beams over the East Coast Main Line by crane may cause some disruption to residents.

  • Increasing demand

    Over the past decade there has been:

    • A 35% increase in passengers between Peterborough and London
    • An 18% increase in journeys between London and Cambridge
    • A 60% increase in freight traffic


    With passenger and freight traffic set to continue increasing, it is vital for us to improve performance and capacity on the East Coast Main Line.

    The Hitchin flyover is one of a number of projects currently being undertaken by us along the line (see below).

    Better services

    The new flyover will create a link between the East Coast Main Line and Cambridge which will:

    • Allow more services per hour to and from London
    • Reduce delays by nearly 30,000 minutes each year, making the railway more punctual and reliable
    • Allow us to keep a Hitchin-Cambridge line open during essential maintenance to the other line


    By taking the Cambridge line over the East Coast Main Line, rather than across it, Hitchin - Cambridge trains will no longer have to cross three other lines. This will increase capacity and make the railway more reliable.

     
     

  • Gallery

    Aerial view, marked to show location of the flyover
     

    Aerial photograph marked to show location of the flyover

    Diagram showing that the current bottleneck exists at Hitchin and impacts train tiemtables across the route
     

    Diagram showing the location of the bottleneck

    Before-after, distance view showing that the houses will be hidden fom view after the project is complete
     

    Current view, and artist's impression of the view after completion

    Before- after view showing the flyover once complete
     

    Current view, and artist's impression of the view after completion

    Before-after view showing the flyover crossing the existing tracks once project is complete
     

    Current view, and artist's impression of the view after completion

     
    Hitchin-flyover-bridge-lift
     

    The bridge span being lifted into position

    Hitchin-flyover-existing-landscape
     

    Existing landscape

    Hitchin-flyover-landscape-after-extraction
     

    Landscape after extraction