Corridor 7 of 12
Sawston Greenway
Approved in July 2026 — with the disused railway corridor, the whole reason for re-aligning it, paused on cost.
Approved, construction due
What became of the 7 proposals for this corridor
Approved, construction due · 2
Paused on cost · 2
Not in current programme · 3
What the 2016 review asked for
- Widen the 'Genome' / DNA path from the Biomedical Campus to Great Shelford
- Quick win: revised alignment and crossing in Stapleford, plus 400 m of widening and bridge works
- New link Shelford Station to the A1301 along the disused railway, 1.3 km
- New path along the disused railway and Granta corridor, A1301 to Sawston, 3 km
- New path to Spicers level crossing, 1.2 km
- Links across the A505 to Duxford, Hinxton and the Sanger Institute
What happened
- Winter 2017/18Community engagement.
- Summer 2020Public consultation.
- 2019–20Quick win: the existing Stapleford to Sawston path is widened, and resurfaced outside Sawston College.
- 1 October 2020Executive Board approves the scheme.
- Autumn 2022Four-week consultation reaching 6,000 households and businesses.
- February 2023Outline business case issued.
- 2025The proposed off-road railway link is paused because of rising construction costs.
- 9 July 2026Full business case approved by the Executive Board.
- 30 July 2026Traffic Regulation Orders discussed for the Stapleford and Great Shelford sections.
- Late 2026 / early 2027Construction anticipated.
Where it stands, November 2026
Approved and heading for construction, but as the on-road route through Stapleford and Great Shelford that the 2016 review described as a 'quick win' — not the re-aligned railway route it recommended. The review was blunt that the existing route 'has some difficult stretches in Stapleford' and that a new alignment was the prize. That prize is paused. The widened Stapleford to Sawston path, an early quick win, is in use and good. Local campaigners have raised a number of places where the Stapleford designs fall short of LTN 1/20 guidance.
2026/27 budget £2,878kFBC approved 9 July 2026Construction Late 2026 / early 2027
Audit
Every proposal on this route
| Proposed intervention (2016) | Type | Scale | Status 2026 | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Widen the 'Genome' / DNA path between the Biomedical Campus and Great Shelford | Upgrade | ~3 km | Approved, construction due | Full business case approved 9 July 2026 (GCP Greenways update, July 2026). GCP's Sawston Greenway page lists 'a wider and better lit DNA path'. Not yet built. |
| Revised alignment and road crossing in Stapleford, plus path widening and bridge works | Upgrade | 150 m + 400 m | Approved, construction due | The 2016 'quick win' is now the leading section: buildability and safety checks complete, construction expected late 2026 / early 2027. Local campaigners have raised a number of places where the Stapleford designs fall short of LTN 1/20 guidance. Separately, the existing Stapleford to Sawston path was widened, and resurfaced outside Sawston College, as an early quick win. |
| New link from Shelford Station to the A1301 along the disused railway corridor | New route | 1.3 km | Paused on cost | The off-road railway link is paused because of rising construction costs. |
| New path following the disused railway and River Granta between the A1301 and Sawston | New route | 3 km | Paused on cost | Paused with the rest of the railway-corridor proposal. |
| New path from the disused railway corridor to Spicers level crossing | New route | 1.2 km | Not in current programme | Not in the current scheme. |
| Links across the A505 to Duxford, Hinxton and the Wellcome Sanger Institute, including a possible A505 bridge or underpass at Whittlesford Parkway | New structure | bridge/underpass | Not in current programme | Never progressed beyond the review's 'look further at opportunities'. |
| A more direct route through Great Shelford via Mill Court | Upgrade | — | Not in current programme | The scheme follows Church Street and Mingle Lane instead. |