Lidlington News

London Northwestern Railway is encouraging customers unable to travel due to the ongoing coronavirus restrictions to claim their season ticket refunds online.

London Northwestern Railway will begin running to a new timetable from next week. This is part of the rail industry’s commitment to operate regular train services during the coronavirus outbreak.

With passenger numbers continuing to fall and increased numbers of rail staff self-isolating, the operator has announced further changes will come into effect on Monday 6 April.

The latest timetable has been designed to keep as many services running as possible if part of the network has to close due to the increased impact of COVID-19.

London Northwestern Railway passengers are advised that rail replacement bus services will be in operation on the Abbey and Marston Vale branch lines today (Friday 20 March 2020) due to a shortage of available train crew.

Lidlington Action Group (LAG) has sent a letter to councillors at Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC).

The aim is to generate internal pressure on those submitting CBC’s response to the Inspector’s report at the end of April.

At the Local Plan examination last summer, the Planning Inspectors identified issues with the soundness of the Local Plan. They asked the CBC to look again at ‘reasonable alternatives’ to building 5,000 houses in Marston Vale.

CBC intends to publish their response on 30 April 2020 ahead of the re-convened examination in June.

Passengers using the Marston Vale Line between Bedford and Bletchley are being advised to check their journeys as a temporary timetable is now in operation while Network Rail continues to investigate faulty level crossings on the route.

Under the temporary timetable, which is in place until Saturday 21 March, trains are able to run the full length of the line between Bedford and Bletchley. However, while investigations are completed services will not call at Millbrook or Lidlington, with a replacement bus service in operation at these stations.

Rail passengers and road users are being warned of disruption because of a fault with three automatic level crossings on the Marston Vale line in Bedfordshire.

Investigations are underway to find out why the automatic train detection systems are not working as they should at the level crossings in Marston, Green Lane in Stewartby, and Kempston Hardwick.

To keep trains running as far as Stewartby, Marston level crossing is closed to road traffic, and Green Lane is being manually operated.

The railway is closed between Stewartby and Bedford with London Northwestern Railway providing replacement buses so passengers can complete their journeys.

Passengers using the Marston Vale Line are being warned to expect continued disruption to journeys on Tuesday (Mar 3) while Network Rail engineers examine level crossing malfunctions.

Following a series of faults at crossings between Ridgmont and Bedford, part of the line has remained closed to trains since last Thursday.

Replacement buses will again be in operation on Tuesday. It is expected trains will be able to run between Bletchley and Stewartby, with buses in operation between Stewartby and Bedford.