Bedford Borough Council has set out its concerns about East West Rail’s latest plans for the town and is directing Bedfordians to a dedicated information hub to follow the project in more detail.
The move follows the publication of East West Rail’s You Said, We Did Autumn Update, which sets out design changes to the multi-billion-pound Oxford to Cambridge line, with Bedford at its centre.
Last week, the Bedford Independent reported on the headline proposals, including a redeveloped Bedford Midland station, a new Bedford St Johns hospital hub and a Universal-ready Marston Vale line.
Now the council has responded formally, saying the project still has “a long way to go” to rebuild public trust.
‘The sniff test’
Tom Wootton (Conservative), elected mayor of Bedford Borough, said he continued to have “grave doubts” about East West Rail’s transparency, despite the new publication.
“This project desperately needs to win back public trust. Everyone at East West Rail desperately needs to show that they are being honest and transparent.
“How are they doing right now? Frankly, they do not pass the sniff test,” he said.
The mayor said the council was still waiting for a detailed written explanation of why East West Rail now wants to demolish an additional 53 homes and businesses on Ashburnham Road, including a GP surgery and the Dom Polski venue.
“We still do not have their documented rationale for needing to knock down an additional 53 homes and businesses on Ashburnham Road, including a GP surgery and the Dom Polski venue. Their technical note was promised more than two months ago,” he said.
He also criticised the way recent meetings had been handled, including a public meeting in Bedford earlier this month.
“When EWR held a public meeting earlier this month, they failed to share simple information beforehand with the council, including the agenda and their slideshow presentation.
“And we had minimal notice of this week’s high-level briefing about their newest update. They need to keep us in the loop if we are to support our residents,” he said.
Council promises direct engagement
Although East West Rail is a government-owned company and not controlled by Bedford Borough Council, the mayor said the council was now stepping in to make sure residents are supported and kept informed.
“Councillor Nicky Gribble [Independent, Renhold & Ravensden] has joined officers knocking door to door to speak to residents on Ashburnham Road, and we have already done our first letter drop,” he said.
“We will continue to work with residents to ensure that they are kept up to date and to make sure they are not railroaded. But [East West Rail] needs to be open, honest and transparent, with residents, the community and with the council,” he added.
The Mayor stressed that the council still supports the principle of East West Rail, but said his focus would remain on protecting Bedford Borough residents and businesses as the detailed plans evolve.
Key changes
The council has published a summary of the You Said, We Did Autumn Update on its website, along with links to the full document and meeting notes between East West Rail and the authority. Among the key points highlighted are:
- A major redesign of Bedford Midland station, with what EWR describes as “more ambitious” proposals, including:
- A new pedestrian plaza in front of the station.
- A new western entrance to improve access from Queens Park and nearby housing.
- Changes to station car parking, with a proposed multi-storey car park accessed from Ford End Road instead of Ashburnham Road.
- Improvements to walking, cycling and bus connections.
- Highway changes around Bedford, including:
- Proposals to realign the A6 Great Ouse Way “to help the design fit better in the surrounding area and reduce local impacts”.
- Abandoning earlier plans for permanent turning heads and cul-de-sacs affecting Chaucer Road, Spenser Road, Milton Road and Sidney Road.
- Plans for a new Bedford St Johns station and associated hospital hub:
- The new station is proposed on railway land between Ampthill Road and Cauldwell Street bridges.
- A multi-storey car park is planned next to Bedford Hospital’s proposed expansion, with disabled bays and electric charging for station users.
- East West Rail says it is exploring whether the existing bridges can stay in place while the tracks are lowered, and that any demolition and rebuilding has been scaled back compared to earlier designs.
- Changes to the Marston Vale Line between Bedford and Bletchley:
- East West Rail now plans to keep four intermediate stations at Woburn Sands, Ridgmont, Lidlington and Stewartby, alongside a relocated Bedford St Johns.
- Several existing smaller stops are expected to be removed, despite consultation responses showing similar levels of support for retaining all stations.
- Stewartby station would move north of Broadmead Road and be expanded to serve the proposed Universal theme park and wider development.
East West Rail says 6,218 people took part in its most recent consultation between November 2024 and January 2025, and that the Autumn update is the first time it has published a detailed response to those comments.
The company has also not indicated that it is revisiting options for a southern route around Bedford.
Demolitions still a concern
East West Rail says the controversial plan to bring more land on Ashburnham Road inside the construction boundary is needed to create a construction compound that would allow the station upgrade to be delivered more “safely and quickly”.
In the You Said, We Did update, the company states that the extra land “could reduce disruption in Bedford town centre caused by construction by up to three years”.
It also acknowledges that the change is “significant” for residents and businesses newly affected and says it is “committed to engaging” with those impacted.
But the mayor says this isn’t good enough.
“We still don’t have their documented rationale for needing to knock down an additional 53 homes and businesses on Ashburnham Road – including a GP surgery and the Dom Polski venue. Their Technical Note was promised more than two months ago,” he said.
“When EWR held a public meeting earlier this month, they failed to share simple information beforehand with the Council, including the agenda and their slideshow presentation.
“And we had minimal notice of this week’s high-level briefing about their newest update – they need to keep us in the loop if we’re to support our residents.”
For the council, this issue remains one of the most significant unresolved issues for the project, alongside broader concerns about construction impacts, traffic, hospital access and the long-term effect of six tracks through Bedford.
How to follow East West Rail plans
To help Bedfordians track developments, Bedford Borough Council has created an East West Rail section on its website. This includes:
- Links to East West Rail consultation documents, including the You Said, We Did Autumn Update
- Notes and agendas from meetings between the council and East West Rail
- Information from public meetings hosted by the mayor
The council says the new update from East West Rail will now be reviewed in detail by officers and elected members before it publishes a more formal response.
Residents can read the council’s summary and find links to East West Rail documents via the East West Rail pages on the Bedford Borough Council website.
