Council welcomes £2.2m funding boost for Flitwick town centre and station

Proposals include fully redeveloped station forecourt with new pedestrian, cycle and vehicle access
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Central Bedfordshire Council has welcome news the Government has awarded a grant of £2.219million to pay for improvements at Flitwick Rail Station.

Earlier, Bedford Today revealed how the Flitwick project was one of 12 in the Bedford area to benefit from a share of £23.3million from the Government's Getting Building FundThe council has worked closely with Network Rail and Govia Thameslink Railways (GTR) to develop proposals which will radically improve how the station functions. This includes:

*A fully redeveloped station forecourt with new pedestrian, cycle and vehicle access

Flitwick Station (Google)Flitwick Station (Google)
Flitwick Station (Google)

*New passenger drop-off and dedicated taxi areas

*A public transport interchange with three bus stops, passenger waiting areas, including real time departure information

*Improvements to Steppingley Road, including vehicle access to both the station and Tesco opposite

*Dedicated facilities for Center Parcs Woburn passenger collection and drop off

The grant is the result of a collaboration between the council and the South East Midlands Local Economic Partnership (SEMLEP) and has been awarded as part of the Government’s new Getting Building Fund. The funding will be added to the council’s existing investment in this scheme which, combined, will total in excess of £4million.

The scheme will form the basis of a planning application which is due to be submitted by the end of August. Construction of the hub is scheduled to be complete by March 2022.

Cllr Ian Dalgarno, the council’s executive member for community services, said: “The integrated transport hub will make joined up public transport simpler, easier and a much more pleasant experience and the scheme also aims to encourage more cycling to the station with safe and secure cycle racks.

“More broadly it will help support the town centre economy as part of the economic recovery from COVID-19.”

SEMLEP chief executive, Hilary Chipping, added: “The Flitwick scheme further improves connectivity and will assist achieving sustainable growth as well as providing jobs as we strive to recover economically from this pandemic.”