After complaints from passengers, councillors and the local MP, and nearly a month out of order, Network Rail says that a lift at Bedford Station should be repaired next week (21 July).
The passenger lift on platform 1 of the station has been out of order since 29 June, meaning that anyone with accessibility issues cannot get off the platform.
One passenger, Caroline Coster, contacted the Bedford Independent after she was almost stranded in London when rail staff refused to allow her to board a train home as it was planned to arrive at platform 3.
“Three-fifths of the platforms at Bedford Station are currently inaccessible to me,” said Caroline, who uses a wheelchair after losing her arms and legs to COVID-19.
“Bedford Station staff are brilliant and nothing is too much trouble for them, but at St Pancras, the EMR staff refused to let me board a train home as they said I wouldn’t be able to get off at Bedford.”
Instead, Caroline had to negotiate two lifts down to the Thameslink platform, where staff again refused to let her board the train as they’d have to notify Bedford to bring the train into platform 1.
“I would have had to wait another 50 minutes for the next train, so I just got on. The St Pancras staff had notified Bedford Station that I was on the train, and – because Bedford Station staff are fantastic – it arrived at platform 1.
“All of this because of a faulty lift at Bedford Station. As you can see, the wider implications for me and many others are huge.”
A Network Rail spokesperson apologised for the delay in repairing the lift, saying: “We’re very sorry to station users who are inconvenienced by the current issue with the lift at Bedford.
“Investigations found that the sill component of the door was significantly corroded and required immediate removal. A replacement part is expected to be ready for installation early next week.”
Under-investment
Cllr Ben Foley (Green, Greyfriars ward) is also a wheelchair user.
He told the Bedford Independent: “Yet again, Disabled passengers, parents with prams, elderly passengers, and passengers with heavy luggage or cycles suffer badly from under-investment in Bedford Station.
“Bedford desperately needs a station rebuild. One was planned in 2010, but cancelled by the LibDem/Tory coalition Government coming to power.
“EastWestRail provides a new opportunity, and while that rebuild should prevent single lift failures closing most platforms to Disabled passengers, it’s years away. So, meanwhile, we need much better maintenance and repair regimes, rather than repeatedly enduring this.”
Stuck
Issues with the lift have been ongoing for some months, and in February, six passengers were stuck in it for over an hour before fire crews were called in to rescue them.
Britain’s Got Talent’s vocal coach (and Bedford resident), Yvie Burnett, was one of those trapped.
Writing about it in her column in the Press & Journal on 1 February, Yvie said: “We were assuming that there is some protocol which means that after a certain length of time, people would need to be rescued.
“After all, apart from people with luggage, it’s often elderly or infirm people who need to use the lift. Eventually, our door was prised open by three lovely, friendly firemen who couldn’t believe that six of us had fitted in there.”
Bedford and Kempston MP, Mohammad Yasin (Labour), said he had written to the station operators, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), to raise the concerns of his constituents.
“It is totally unacceptable that the lifts at Bedford station have been out of service for over two weeks, with no clear explanation provided to passengers. The complete lack of communication about why the lifts are broken and when they will be fixed is deeply frustrating and shows a disregard for the needs of passengers.
“I wrote to Govia Thameslink Railway on Monday to raise these concerns and request urgent answers, but I have yet to receive a response. This silence adds to the sense that accessibility is not being treated as a priority. It should be.
“Passengers deserve better and immediate action must be taken to restore access and provide clear information to those affected.”
A spokesperson from Thameslink said they answered the MP’s email within two days and will be keeping him updated on the progress of repairs.
Edit: 21.07.25 at 19:45 to include a quote from Thameslink
