Sign the Petition to Save Bedford's Fast Intercity Rail Services!

The recent publication of the consultation on plans for services on the East Midlands Railway franchise from December 2020 confirmed local rail users' worst fears, and revealed the extent of the damage done by the Conservatives' removal of Bedford from its historic place on the intercity rail map.

The consultation reveals that, just as local Liberal Democrats have warned since the Conservatives announced their intentions for a downgrade of services from Bedford station, Bedford will lose its direct rail link to the midlands and have slower trains to London than the current intercity services.

Liberal Democrat candidate for Bedford & Kempston Henry Vann, a long-term campaigner on this issue and former commuter from Bedford, this week described the plans as 'a disaster' and noted that "we have had all the pain for electrification with the closure of Bromham Road Bridge, and cancelled trains, but none of the gain."

Henry Vann and Daniel Norton, Liberal Democrat candidate for North East Bedfordshire, have launched a petition for the restoration of Bedford's intercity rail links and for faster trains into London. If you agree with them that Bedford rail users deserve better, please sign and share the petition here.