Rail services connect Stansted Airport directly to London, Birmingham and transport interchanges at Cambridge and Peterborough. The Airport station acts as a transport interchange for the wider area, connecting local people with long-distance destinations.
Passengers benefit from frequent services to London and Cambridge on the West Anglia Main Line (WAML).
Improving rail connectivity on the WAML will be critical for supporting airport growth and attracting new airlines as well as the economic growth along the entire London-Stansted-Cambridge corridor. Commuters from stations on the WAML would benefit significantly from reduced journey times to London.
Aims:
- We will work with the rail industry to develop a resilience plan for rail replacement services.
- We will work with and provide evidence to support train operators to provide a better rail connection with North London, Cambridgeshire and beyond.
- We will seek to improve the customer experience at the airport, London Liverpool Street, Stratford, Tottenham Hale and Cambridge stations and provide an improved on-train information for departing air passengers.
- We will continue to support regional stakeholder aspirations to improve links from the WAML to Stratford, supporting regeneration in the Upper Lea Valley and opening rail access to Stansted Airport to new communities.
- We will monitor the utilisation of the Elizabeth Line and the prominence of Stratford to consider the opportunity for Stratford as an alternative connection to Central London.
- We will work with Network Rail and train operators on improving reliability with the aim of at least 95% of trains running on time as a long-term target with suitable long-term investments on the network
Rail Working Group Plan
Initiative | Detail | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
Introduction of Earlier/Later Stansted Express journeys | Continue lobbying both Network Rail and Greater Anglia for the development of earlier/later journeys for Stansted Express | By end of 2027 |
Development of faster journey time | Secure government commitment through the West Anglia Task Force and Transport East to deliver faster journey time from the airport to Central London, as the first phase in a long-term programme of infrastructure investment on the WAML. | By end of 2030 |
Improvements for Cross Country service | Lobby DfT to improve current timetable for Cambridge & Peterborough corridor so there is a consistent hourly service, 7 days a week, which meets the Airport operating day | By end of 2027 |
Improvement of customer experience at key stations | Seek to improve the customer experience at London Liverpool Street, Stratford, Tottenham Hale and Cambridge stations. | By end of 2027 |
Resilience for Rail Replacement | Work with the rail industry to develop a resilience plan for rail replacement services. | By end of 2026 |