Wixams railway station costs increases by another £3million - just 3 weeks after council told of £30million rise

Artist's impression of the Wixams Railway StationArtist's impression of the Wixams Railway Station
Artist's impression of the Wixams Railway Station
The cost of Wixams Station has increased by £3.6 million since the last update – just three weeks ago.

Bedford Borough Council’s Executive was told on June 19 the cost had increased by £30 million since the council took on the project in 2018.

However, shortly before Wednesday’s (July 10) Full Council Meeting members were sent an update to say the cost had increased by a further £3.6 million.

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Councillor Graeme Coombes (Conservative, Wixams & Wilstead) the portfolio holder for finance & corporate services, told members that Network Rail had provided revised figures for the expected capital costs of the Wixams station project.

“I understand the reason for the change in the figures is that Network Rail got details from the subcontractors late,” councillor Coombes said.

“The initial costs were estimated by Network Rail and they’ve actually come in higher than expected.”

Councillor Ben Foley (Green, Greyfriars) said: “It feels like the council has been done over, first by inheriting this from Network Rail, then being cut out of revenue sharing, and most recently by a demand for millions of extra money.”

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Councillor Coombes replied: “I don’t know whether I agree with your terminology of “done over”, but I do feel sometimes that we are at the behest of others in this clearly major infrastructure project.

“We are at the behest of Network Rail, the Department for Transport, and others.

“We’re not wholly in control of the project, nor can we be because it’s not up to this council to decide where we are going to stick a station on an existing railway line.

“We just don’t have the ability to make decisions like that, so we have to do it in partnership.

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“If this gets taken on by Universal then that will be a bigger better station at Wixams and the council will get some of its CIL money [development funding] back.

“I take your point, it’s not been easy councillor Foley, it’s actually been being quite difficult and your point is well made,” he said.

The members agreed enter an Implementation Agreement with Network Rail for the construction of a two-platform station at the Wixams, and to update the budgeted cost of construction.

They also agreed to the reallocation of £6.431 million of CIL funding to the Wixams Train Station scheme from Sharnbrook Primary and Bromham Road Cycle Bridge.

The funding for these two schemes would be replaced by borrowing.

The station is due to open in 2026.

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