The Isaac Newton Line
The Isaac Newton Line is a bi-directional Light Rail line extending from Cambourne in the west to Haverhill in the southeast, which would be delivered in three Phases. Phase One would be ~13 km in length, extending from the Eddington to Addenbrookes / Trumpington, via the University West Campus, Grange Road, City Centre, and Cambridge Central Rail Station.
A tunnel within the historic City core would extend 4 km from a west portal in the Grange Road area to an east portal near Coldhams Lane, with a central portal near Cambridge Central Rail Station. The Isaac Newton Line would convert the existing guided busway from Central Rail Station to Addenbrookes and Trumpington, with stops proposed at Hills Road, Cambridge Assessment, Long Road, and Addenbrookes Hospital (co-located with the Cambridge South Rail Station), Clay Farm, Trumpington and Trumpington Meadows (near M11). The Isaac Newton Line serves Hills Road and Long Road Sixth Form Colleges.
Conversion of the guided busway to Trumpington and Addenbrookes to light rail could be accomplished quickly because the alignment exists, and this would eliminate the costly repairs needed for the defective busway. Conversion to light rail would enable reliable, frequent and faster travel to Addenbrookes from the city centre and from Trumpington.
Phase Two of the Isaac Newton Line would extend from the Girton Interchange to Cambourne in the west, and from Addenbrookes to Granta Park in the south.
Phase Three would extend from Granta Park to Haverhill and from the Girton Interchange to Bar Hill and Northstowe.
The Isaac Newton Line offers the exciting opportunity of a fast connection between all three campuses of the modern University of Cambridge: the West Campus, the central Colleges, Departments and Administration, and the Biomedical Campus at Addenbrookes.
The Darwin Line
The Darwin Line would be brought forward in Phase Two to extend from the University of Cambridge West Campus to the Science Park and Cambridge North Station (6.5 km). This line would include stops at Darwin Green residential development, Histon Road, and the Cambridge Regional College. Passive provision for the alignment has been made as part of wider city planning, and we suggest Cambridge Light Rail would be ideal along this route. Other route options may also be possible on the north side of Cambridge.
View the Cambridge Light Rail Isaac Newton Line and Darwin Line, and how they would delivered in phases …
Download the Isaac Newton / Darwin Lines city network (Version 12.0, 14 Aug 2024) as pdf (777KB)
Download the Cambridgeshire Regional network (Version 12.0, 14 Aug 2024) as pdf (508KB)
