Railway Campaign news – King’s Lynn to Hunstanton

Railway Campaign news – King’s Lynn to Hunstanton

By Andrew Murray, Chairman, King's Lynn Hunstanton Railway Campaign

As a result of a presentation that Howard Johnston gave to the Infrastructure and Development Select Committee of Norfolk County Council in September 2019, the County decided to finance WSP to do a feasibility study on the viability of re-opening a heavy railway line from Hunstanton to King's Lynn, not necessarily on the original trackbed.

Because it is in draft form the report by WSP is at present confidential.

WSP is one of the world's leading engineering professional services consulting firms.

They design lasting solutions in the Property & Buildings, Transportation & Infrastructure, Environment, Industry, Resources (including Mining and Oil & Gas) and Power & Energy sectors as well as project delivery and strategic consulting services.

They have been involved in many high-profile UK projects including the re-development of London Bridge Station and Quarter, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, HS2, Transport for the North Strategic Development Corridor studies, One Blackfriars and the Shard.

Local MP James Wild has submitted a bid to the Department for Transport's Ideas section of Restoring your Railway Fund for a grant of up to 50K. to take things to the next stage. If that bid is successful it will need match funding from local sources of £12.5K

Hunstanton Town Council has agreed to support the campaign and in principle and to contribute £1,000, if the bid to the DfT is successful. BCKLWN and NCC and the villages along the route will be asked for their support and contributions.

Because some people in the villages have adverse sentiments towards Hunstanton, the name of the Campaign may be changed to West Norfolk Railway Campaign which could encompass the March - Wisbech railway extending to King's Lynn. Through trains from Hunstanton to Cambridge and Peterborough are possibilities at some time in the future.

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