EWR opens latest consultation
The East West Rail project is a vital boost for our Borough – putting Bedford at the heart of economic opportunities across the Oxford to Cambridge area. And with the Universal Project on the horizon, it is hard to imagine dealing with the traffic impacts without it.
This is a key building block for our Borough to prosper and thrive in the years ahead. Unlike others we have always argued that it would be a mistake to see Bedford bypassed; we would still suffer the upheaval but secure none of the benefits for local people.
That doesn't mean this centrally driven government project doesn’t have some serious flaws.
We have always opposed and continue to oppose the demolition of properties in Bedford as unnecessary. Engagement with local communities has often been found wanting.
In the latest proposals, we welcome the inclusion of the new fast line platform at Bedford for intercity trains to London. This is something that wasn’t originally included, and we worked hard from the outset to argue for this. Improving journeys north and south as well as east and west is a real win for local people. It is good to see the argument we’ve made for electrification also win through.
Our concerns about the impact on the floodplain north of Bedford have also been recognised, with the commitment to improving wetland connectivity and public access along the river. We are going to watch carefully the plans to mitigate – and even reduce – flood risk impacts in the area. We do remain concerned that our push for a tunnel beyond Clapham has not been incorporated in this stage and will continue to push for this.
We want to see real attention on the traffic and parking impacts, both during construction and when operational. The points where the new infrastructure interacts with our existing communities, roads and footpaths needs very careful work and isn’t an afterthought. In the same way construction compounds and traffic are going to have noticeable impacts and the council needs to step up to make the case for the protection of our communities. Using the rail route itself to deliver materials is infinitely preferable to overloading our local roads.
We welcome confirmation that parking capacity will be maintained at Bedford Hospital. This is vital for residents and should include easy access, including for those with disabilities.
Whilst we have been making a positive difference for residents, leadership from the Conservative-led Council has been poor, offering false hope, whilst not tackling the detail that we expect, and splashing taxpayers’ cash on consultants’ reports on “alternative routes” which were never on the table.
We strongly encourage everyone to look at the consultation and have your say.
eastwestrail.co.uk/consultation/consultation2026/feedback