Plan ahead as essential work affects rail and road routes

Network Rail have issued the following press release giving advance notice that bridge-strengthening work will affect train services between Bedford and Mil Hill Broadway on 1 and 2 April:

A £1.5 million programme to strengthen a railway bridge in Kempston Hardwick, Bedfordshire (pictured) will get under way this month to improve reliability for passengers. Over the next five months, Network Rail engineers will repair and strengthen the steel girders, bridge deck and improve drainage and guttering on the structure which carries the Midland Main Line over the B530 Ampthill Road.

Reinforcing this important bridge, which millions of rail passengers rely on each year when travelling between Luton and Bedford and further afield, will offer more reliable, on-time journeys and mean that less maintenance work is needed for the next decade.

Major all-line disruption between Mill Hill Broadway and Bedford 1 & 2 April

This work can only be carried out safely while there are no trains running. Network Rail has planned most of the work at night to minimise disruption but on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 April, in addition to work on the railway bridge in Kempston Hardwick, there will be work on over-head power lines, track and signals on this stretch of railway. For passengers this will mean:

• No trains south of Bedford for East Midlands Railway passengers
• Rail replacement bus services to operate from Bedford across to the East Coast Main Line at Hitchin for onward train travel to Kings Cross
• No Thameslink service between Bedford and Mill Hill Broadway, and a limited Thameslink service from Mill Hill Broadway to and through central London
• Extensive replacement bus services for stations between Mill Hill Broadway and Bedford, and additional bus services for connections across to the East Coast Main Line at Hitchin and Potters Bar.

On these dates passengers are advised to “check before you travel” with nationalrail.co.uk

B530 Ampthill Road closures

The road will be closed to keep drivers and pedestrians safe on:

• 11pm Saturday 25 until 7am Sunday 26 March
• 4pm Saturday 1 until 5am Monday 3 April
• 11pm Saturday 15 until 7am Sunday 16 April
• 11pm Saturday 22 until 7am Sunday 23 April
• 11pm Saturday 29 until 7am Sunday 30 April
• 6am Monday 8 May until 5pm Friday 14 July

A signed diversion will be in place via A6 Wixams Bypass, Wilstead Bypass, Ampthill to Maulden Bypass and Hazelwood Lane. Drivers should check their route with One.Network before setting off.

Steve Hopkinson, Operations Director for Network Rail said: “This is an important investment to help passengers rely on us to get them to where they need to be on time right along the Midland Main Line. It’ll help to drive down delays and avoid major maintenance work at this location for the next decade.

“To keep people and passengers safe, we will need to close the road and the railway at times over the next five months. We have worked with the council to plan a diversion to keep people moving, but I’m sorry to anybody who is inconvenienced by this.”

Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director for Thameslink said: "We really appreciate that this closure of the line between Bedford and Mill Hill Broadway will be very disruptive for our customers, which is why we're keen to work with Network Rail and other operators on the route to make sure people know it's coming up.

"Please plan ahead by visiting nationalrail.co.uk and see what buses you'll need to take to complete your journey, and then check again before you set off."

Neil Grabham, Customer Services Director for EMR said: “We are asking any customers planning to travel to or from London on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 April to plan ahead and allow plenty of time to complete their journey.

“Rail Replacement buses will run between Bedford and Hitchin, where customers can connect to Thameslink services to London.

“We would like to thank our customers for their patience whilst the engineering work along the Midland Main Line is taking place.”

ENDS