BFARe Press Release
15 April, 2026
EWR has now commenced their final consultation prior to their application for a Development Consent Order. Communities across Bedford are feeling the full weight of their decision to pursue Route E. Long‑established neighbourhoods face upheaval, with many residents confronting the loss of their homes, deep uncertainty about their future, and the strain that comes with major disruption to daily life. People across the town have voiced real frustration that their concerns were not reflected in the final route choice, and many feel the EWR consultation process has lacked openness and professionalism.
Many community members describe the past consultations as limited and procedural, saying the opportunities to influence the outcome felt more like a tick‑box exercise than a genuine attempt to listen. There is a strong feeling locally that this level of engagement has simply not been enough for a project of such scale and impact.
In response to this final consultation, BFARe stands together in support of those affected, and will continue to share accurate information through our social media and web site. We encourage the community to work closely with parish councils and neighbourhood networks to share information and support as this project moves forward.
We encourage all Bedfordians to have their voices heard and respond to this final consultation. The 2026 consultation runs from 13 April until 9 June.
The EWR documentation, public event information and consultation process outline can be found here.
BFARe recommends individuals do make their views about the route choice known despite EWR’s CEO David Hughes’ advice to people not to comment on the route. If the environmentally and financially costly route is not mentioned, it is possible EWR could make claims
that Bedfordians are no longer concerned about the route when the consultation results are assessed.
We recommend Bedfordians direct their comments about the poor route choice in the “Other Comments” box at the end of the form. The full impact of the disastrous route through Bedford and North Bedfordshire is now clear to see and this overriding issue cannot be left out of responses.
A route to the South of Bedford, as recommended by BFARE and thousands of people, would have been greener, flatter, cheaper and would have avoided the demolitions and destruction in Bedford and North Bedfordshire.
The BFARe Campaign Background
BFARe is a grassroots campaign comprised of nine Parish Councils, concerned residents and environmentalists that have fought against East West Rail’s preferred Route E through Bedford and North of Bedford. We have worked to influence the Government, Bedford Borough Council and East West Rail to reconsider this environmentally destructive route and make a better choice for Bedford.
BFARe was formed in early 2020, following considerable local public concern about EWRCo’s route proposal and the flawed non-statutory consultation (NSC) which had taken place in 2019. The comparative route costing information for the five EWRCo presented route options through Bedford Borough had been manipulated to favour Route E and this is of extreme relevance for the work of BFARe.
It is our firm belief that, since 2019, all EWRCo route consultations and public communications have been based on a false prospectus of Route E being the best route for Bedford Borough.
BFARe members voluntarily devote considerable time and energy into investigating and challenging EWRCo’s proposals, using their own local knowledge, experience and technical and professional expertise. Our responses to all EWR consultations and our own Technical Papers reflect the hard work by BFARe’s supporters.
BFARe Technical and Communications Teams
