BRTA saddened by recent developments regarding rail links east of Bedford
The British Regional Transport Association (BRTA) is concerned that its preferred rail route east of Bedford is under threat and lacks any notable champions coming forward to advocate for it despite best efforts.
From 1995-2017 it was agreed a new Bedford-Cambridge railway would go east of Bedford via the former St John’s Station area on the course of old railway.
Then in 2019 the consultation on routes, abandoned the previous consensus and did not include it in the list of options for the public to engage with.
The public gave support for a Northern Route E, because of the wish to link with the principal Bedford Midland Railway Station and go north and out via a new constructed rail route to Tempsford and onwards to Cambridge.
The reasons for the abandonment of the previous ‘old’ route were:
- The old route is built on at Blunham and Sandy
- The Officer for Road and Rail (ORR) stipulated no new or reopened rail links would be able to have Level Crossings and would need flyovers or duck-under bridges.
BRTA believes this should be challenged with special dispensations where no other enablement to reopening can be done unless a level crossing is provided.
Alas, despite campaigning over many years, no champions have arisen from MPs to Mayors to other leaders, and that lack of champions has left the rail route vulnerable.
Indeed, the Bedford Borough Council did a study looking at three rail routes going east of Bedford and found BRTA’s route was viable and do-able given the caveats required.
However, drift has meant default to the Northern Route and now 1000 houses west of Willington, Bedford will scupper the former rail route and lock-in the Northern Route which wants at least 60 houses demolished for an extra two tracks north of Bedford and faces engineering and costly challenges getting through Black Cat Roundabout on the A1 and over the River Great Ouse at Tempsford before ducking under the main north-south main line at Tempsford to go on to Cambridge.
BRTA is disappointed. BRTA CEO Richard Pill said: “We are sleep walking into the Northern Rail Route and that will mean upheaval and take 10 years to build whenever permission is granted. Meanwhile the Bedford Midland Railway Station will need more tracks and platform provisions and a new passenger booking hall.
"Given Oxford-Bedford trains are due 2031, waiting another eight years for the Bedford-Tempsford-Cambridge railway to be built, means sidings at Bedford for Oxford trains will be needed. Add to which, Universal’s eight million visitors per year from 2031, will mean things are extremely busy.
"BRTA is sad our route is not being supported despite our many appeals and congestion looks set to get worse for years to come.”
See: https://brtarail.com/ewrail/