East West Rail reveals new car parking plans for Bedford station
· A new car park design with options to include community facilities at Bedford Station aims to address concerns from local residents
· A smaller surface-level car park will also be created in Ford End Road
· The new plans have been developed following extensive feedback gathered from the last two consultations
East West Railway Company (EWR Co) has revealed revised proposals for car parking at Bedford station, following extensive consultation and engagement with local communities, Bedford Borough Council, MPs and other stakeholders.
The new design includes the potential provision of a community hub and a GP surgery on the ground floor, subject to further review and development. EWR Co will continue to work with Historic England on the design which has evolved over the past two consultations.
Following discussions with Bedford Borough Council, it has been determined that the car park provision for Bedford station should be 900 spaces overall. This preferred solution would see approximately 70 per cent of spaces located to the east of the station in a six-storey multi-storey car park (MSCP) and a surface car park, both on Ashburnham Road. The MSCP is designed to be a similar height to some of the existing buildings on the street. The remaining 30 per cent of car parking spaces would be provided in a surface car park off Ford End Road.
This preferred solution (Option 3c) has been shaped by feedback and detailed assessment of the options, including their potential impacts on traffic, residents, station users and aims to best meet Bedford’s long-term regeneration ambitions.
In its 2024 consultation, EWR Co had proposed an eight-storey MSCP on Ashburnham Road on the site of the current station car park. Feedback from the public and stakeholders raised concerns that too much traffic would be centred on one location and that the car park building was too tall.
The 2026 consultation proposed alternative plans for a MSCP with 1,200 spaces in Ford End Road, but feedback reflected that this could potentially cause traffic issues through the Queen’s Park area. The latest proposals address the concerns of scale on the car park on Ashburnham Road, as well as reducing the amount of traffic crossing into Ford End Road for the smaller proposed car park.
Further design development and detailed transport assessment will continue to identify and manage potential impacts on the local highway network and surrounding communities.
The plans aim to establish Bedford station as a key gateway to the town and support increased passenger numbers while helping unlock investment, new development and stronger connections between the town centre, local communities and the wider region.
A community drop-in event is being held on Tuesday 3rd November and Thursday 12th November (6-9pm) at Trinity Arts and Leisure, Bromham Road, Bedford for people to view the updated car parking designs, discuss them with the EWR Co team and find out about the next steps in the project.
David Hughes, CEO, EWR Co, said: “We’d like to thank the people of Bedford for helping us shape our plans for car parking in Bedford. We believe these proposals strike the right balance for Bedford. It provides the parking capacity needed for a growing railway, whilst ensuring traffic is spread more evenly across the town.
“By making efficient use of land, it also helps create the conditions for investment and regeneration around the station - delivering the infrastructure passengers need today while supporting Bedford’s ambitions for tomorrow. We will continue to work closely with local communities and stakeholders as the design develop further.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
· EWR Co’s 2024 consultation originally proposed a MSCP (anticipated to be up to eight floors high) on Ashburnham Road on the site of the current station car park and was considering options for developing the existing surface car park adjacent to Bromham Road to provide a second MSCP, potentially up to three floors in height. Following feedback, these plans were amended in the 2026 consultation which proposed relocating the MSCP in Ashburnham Road to land south of Ford End Road bridge. The MSCP was to be up to six storeys high with 1,200 spaces. Following further feedback, the latest and preferred Option 3c is being proposed.
· Under these plans, the majority of station traffic would access the parking via Ashburnham Road, an established A-road, while traffic approaching from Ford End Road West (representing less than 10 per cent of demand) would use the western car park before reaching the Prebend Street roundabout. Drivers approaching via Prebend Street may distribute between eastern and western car parks depending on availability.
· The revised proposals would see 435 car parking spaces provided in the MSCP, 192 spaces in the surface car park in Ashburnham Road, and 293 in the surface car park in Ford End Road. A further 10 drop off/pick-up spaces would be provided in the Ford End Road car park.
· Trinity Arts & Leisure is based on the same site as The Bedford Sixth Form on Bromham Road, MK40 2BS.
Media Assets
· Artist impressions of how the multi-storey car park could look, along with a map of the revised parking provision, are attached to this press release.
Media contacts:
· Press office email: [email protected]
· Press office phone: 0330 134 0053
About the East West Rail Project
The East West Rail Project is a once in a generation opportunity to connect people and businesses between Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge through a new direct rail line. It is a railway with community at its heart that will open up new journeys, cut travel times, and ease congestion on local roads. The route will connect people to the things and places that matter, bringing local benefit and sustainable growth by unlocking the social and economic potential of the area.
The East West Rail Project will be delivered in different phases. Network Rail was responsible for developing the first part of the first phase between Oxford and Milton Keynes, connecting Oxford with Bicester before the East West Rail Company (EWR Co) was set up. Between 2018 and 2024, EWR Co and Network Rail partnered in a construction alliance, East West Rail Alliance, to complete the infrastructure to Bletchley. Chiltern Railways has taken over as the operator of this section and are working to start passenger services as soon as possible.
To deliver the railway onwards from Bletchley to Bedford and Cambridge, a new railway needs to be constructed between Bedford and Cambridge, and associated works are needed between Oxford and Bedford to upgrade and refurbish the existing railway infrastructure. EWR Co proposes to make an application to the Secretary of State for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to permit the construction and operation of these works.
About the East West Railway Company
The East West Railway Company (EWR Co) is a non-departmental public body with limited company status set up by the Secretary of State for Transport in 2017 to deliver the East West Rail (EWR) Project.
The corridor, which runs from Oxford through Milton Keynes and Bedford to Cambridge, is an economic artery that makes the UK a global leader in life sciences, technology and innovation, with the potential to create jobs, drive growth and attract investment for the entire country. EWR Co’s ambition is to unlock the full potential of this region that is vital to keeping the UK globally competitive in a way that considers the environment and offers value for taxpayers.
East West Rail (EWR) will unlock access to jobs and space for businesses to grow, regenerate town centres, improve connectivity across the region and the rest of the UK, and support new affordable housing.