Bedford Borough Council is proud to announce the signing of the official contract for Wixams Station, marking a significant milestone for the community.
The new station, located at Wixams, has been a highly anticipated development. Mayor Tom Wootton, Elected Mayor of Bedford Borough, expressed his excitement stating; "People have been waiting for decades for this. People have bought houses, homes for their families, on the promise of a new station, and it’s only our determination which has made it happen.”
Wixams Station has always been an important part of the plans for Wixams. The provision of a new railway station with regular services to London and Bedford and connections to stations to the north was an integral part of the original masterplan for this significant, integrated garden village development.
Mayor Tom added; “Wixams Station represents a significant investment in the Borough’s sustainable transport provision by providing new access to the rail network with regular services for local residents and businesses.
“A rail station with frequent services will reduce the number of road-based trips and congestion leading to improvements in air quality. It will mean the end of long trips to Bedford or Ampthill, just to catch a train, and it will reduce traffic congestion for people in Bedford too as there will be fewer commuters trying to get to the station in town.”
The signing of the order to start work on the station is a testament to the Council’s unwavering determination to deliver on their promises and enhance the quality of life for the residents of Wixams and the wider Bedford Borough.
Outline planning permission for a Wixams Station was originally granted in 2013, but funding from the rail industry failed to materialise. The Wixams Station project was taken over by Bedford Borough Council in 2018, and is now being delivered by the Council with support from local housing developers including L&Q Estates.
Enabling works for the station are anticipated to begin in Autumn 2024, and updates on the progress will be shared with the community as the project moves forward.
