MIDDLEBORO — Middleboro’s new commuter rail station won’t be opening until the summer of 2024, MBTA spokesperson Lisa Battiston said. This is a significant delay for the new station, which was originally supposed to open at the end of 2023.

That’s because Phase 1 of the MBTA’s South Coast Rail project, which will bring commuter rail service to Taunton, New Bedford and Fall River, is being delayed until the summer of 2024 as well, Battiston explained.

The cause of the delay is primarily safety related, MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said. “We are focused on ensuring that automatic speed controls and collision-avoidance technology are thoroughly tested and properly functioning for the safety of the public and our workforce.”

When the new Middleboro station near West Clark Street opens, commuter rail trains will stop at the new station, Battiston explained. However, the old Middleboro/Lakeville station on Commercial Drive will still be used in the summer for the MBTA’s “CapeFlyer” train, which stops at Middleboro before continuing to Cape Cod.

“CapeFlyer trains will utilize the ‘old’ station because the rail line between Boston and Cape Cod does not pass through the ‘new’ station,” Battiston said.

“The station and the parking lot will be closed, but will be maintained to support only the CapeFlyer’s seasonal trips. The CapeFlyer stops once in each direction at Middleboro on Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.”

The new Middleboro station is being built as part of Phase 1 of the South Coast Rail Project, which will bring commuter rail service to Fall River, Taunton, Freetown and New Bedford. In phase one, after commuter rail trains arrive at Middleboro, they will travel west to reach Taunton, and then south to reach New Bedford and Fall River.

A more direct route, in which trains travel from Taunton directly north to Stoughton, before continuing on to Boston, could be potentially built later as a Phase 2 project.

Jarred Johnson, the executive director of TransitMatters, a Massachusetts transportation advocacy group, said the Phase 1 project could result in train trips that are not as fast as driving.

“Phase 1 travel times are projected at 90 minutes, often the same as driving to Boston from Fall River or New Bedford, possibly slower depending on where you are coming from,” Johnson said.

Johnson explained that the less direct route through Middleboro was one factor that would lead to slow travel times for Phase 1. “Phase 1 goes way out of the way to Middleboro before cutting back towards the junction to Fall River/New Bedford,” Johnson explained.

“We are concerned about the limited service and infrequent schedule that will accompany the opening of Phase 1.”