Winvic Secures £3M Waterbeach Station Haul Road Cambridgeshire

CAMBRIDGESHIRE, UK – Winvic Construction has begun work on a £3 million enabling contract to build a 3.1km haul road for the new Waterbeach railway station. The project, procured through the Eastern Highways Alliance (EHA) Framework, commenced in November and is scheduled for completion in Summer 2026. The road is a critical preliminary phase for the station, which is being delivered by the Greater Cambridge Partnership.

What Does This Contract Cover?

The contract covers the delivery of a haul road to provide construction access for the new station, mitigating disruption to the local community. The works, delivered under an NEC4 Option A contract, include constructing 2.3km of new carriageway and utilising 830 metres of an existing airfield taxiway. The project also involves a significant programme of earthworks, utilities protection, drainage installation, and management of site-specific challenges including potential unexploded ordnance (UXO) and archaeological oversight on the former barracks site.

Key Contract Data

How Does This Compare to Similar Contracts?

Publicly disclosed financial details for directly comparable UK rail enabling works contracts are not consistently available, making direct value-for-money comparisons difficult. Broader industry financial reporting, such as corporate revenue statements, does not offer insight into the value of individual civil engineering contracts of this scale. For example, recent corporate filings show revenue declines for firms in related sectors but provide no project-level cost data. Full financial details for the wider Waterbeach station construction contract, to be undertaken by Spencer Group, have not yet been disclosed.

Editor’s Analysis

This contract highlights a growing trend of collaborative procurement among local authorities to deliver regionally significant infrastructure. The ten-council EHA framework is an operational example of the strategic shift towards local empowerment, a theme reinforced by proposed national devolution measures aimed at giving communities more control over regeneration (Source: Public Sector Executive). By funding enabling works for a new station that serves a new town, the Greater Cambridge Partnership is investing in an integrated transport and housing model, which is seen as a crucial strategy to stimulate rail usage amid post-pandemic shifts in commuter behaviour, such as the rise of remote working (Source: Newsweek).

FAQ

Q: Why is this haul road necessary before the station is built?
A: The road is designed to provide dedicated access for construction vehicles and machinery for the main station build. This strategy aims to keep heavy traffic off local roads, minimising disruption and enhancing safety for the surrounding community during the multi-year construction period.

Q: What is the Eastern Highways Alliance (EHA) Framework?
A: The EHA is an £800 million framework managed by Central Bedfordshire Council for a collaborative group of ten local authorities in the East of England. It allows members to procure civil engineering and infrastructure projects more efficiently from a pre-vetted list of contractors like Winvic.

Q: Who is responsible for building the actual railway station?
A: The Greater Cambridge Partnership is responsible for the delivery of the new railway station itself. Once Winvic completes the haul road, construction firm Spencer Group is scheduled to begin the main station construction.