BFARe Press Release
28 August, 2024
The East West Rail Co Bedford town area constructional impact assessment has now been released through the Freedom of Information process.
A link to this report can be found here. https://bfare.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/CS-00200147.pdf
Jacobs Construction Advisory Team created the Construction Assessment Report, dated May 2023, at the time of the EWR Route Update Announcement.
Example Image from Report
Please see full report for complete detail and explanation
Report Geographical Coverage:
From the pedestrian bridge over the Marston Vale Line (MVL) Ampthill Rd to Elstow Rd link along the MVL to Midland station then on to the Fairhill turnout (specifically the McDonalds Drive-Thru on the Clapham roundabout). It also covers the Cauldwell Govia Thameslink Railway Depot adjacent to Cauldwell Walk.
Report Scope:
- Compounds and Logistics – Public road connections between work activities and the M1 and A1
- Relocation of Jowett sidings to Cauldwell Railway Depot
- Sequential bridge reconstruction order and timescale
- Hospital area proposals – realignment of MVL and relocation of St Johns
- Realignment of MVL through the Ford End sidings complex
- Midland Station redesign
- Poets Area 6-tracking
- Fairhill turnout
BFARe comments:
- The extensive work package in the hospital area requiring the larger part of their adjacent parking area with no mention of replacement parking, multi story or other mitigating options.
- Confirmed destruction of homes and existing amenities through the Poets neighbourhood including the requirement for two new EWR tracks to be built (making it six tracks in total through the Poets Neighbourhood).
- Reconstruction / movement of essential Bedford arterial roads for Bedford including realignment of the Paula Radcliffe Way (actually the Great Ouse Way) by building a temporary haul route bridge across the river at Fairhill.
- The town bridges construction sequence totals 6 elapsed years and is:
- Ampthill Rd bridge Jan – Dec 2027
- Bromham Rd Bridge – single lane Dec 2077 – Aug 2028 Demolish rebuild to Apr 2029 then single lane operation till Jun 2029
- Cauldwell Rd bridge single lane May 2029 – Dec 2029. Demolish/rebuild plus remodelling Prebend E/W junction Jun 2030 – Sep 2031
- Ford End bridge Preparation Oct 2031 full closure Dec 2031 – Dec 2032
- A 3rd EWR track under Ford End Road bridge (splitting off from EWR DN south of Ford End bridge) passing through new Midland Station platform A and rejoining EWR DN track before Bromham Rd bridge. The intended logic is not clear – perhaps it has a freight association (?).
- The suggested haul and access routes between the work areas and M1/A1 appear naive and poorly described. For example, the Northern construction traffic will use the A4280 to/from the A1.
- A total absence of haulage route definition for the Clapham viaduct construction and further eastwards.
- There is little reference to the rebuilding of Bedford Station and the new St Johns appears to be just 2 platforms about 133m in length which won’t take more than a 4-car train set. Universal Studios have stated a desire for 8-car capability on train platforms.
- The expansion of the Cauldwell Maintenance Facility to provide replacement 12-car sidings in place of the existing Jowitt sidings. This new Facility appears set to take over the whole of Cauldwell Walk area.
There is a major lack of information between the northern extent of this report within Fairhill and the known features of the onward track beneath the Great Ouse Way and over the Paula Radcliffe Way and remainder of the 1.1km viaduct before it contacts the Clapham escarpment.
There are important points of clarification and further detail that Bedford Borough Council should be demanding from EWR Co before considering whether to continue their stated support for Route E through Bedford.
Please contact BFARe for any further information.
BFARe Technical Team
press@bfare.org.uk