Stair-free access to Biggleswade Railway Station could arrive this year, meeting told

The long-awaited project has been plagued by delays, including the pandemic and problems uncovered after preparatory work began.

Opportunities to do work on the railway are limited to when there are no trains running, with slots restricted because of the upgrade to the East Coast Mainline, a town council meeting was told.

Network Rail explained in correspondence to the local authority: “The main challenges include getting enough access to do construction activities on the island platforms, while trains aren’t running.

“Access for construction is very limited in 2025. There’s also the issue of improving the works methodology, so that the project is affordable.

“Our supplier has been exploring ways of moving materials for construction on to the island platforms when access is so restricted.

“Access in principle has been agreed now, subject to going through the full access planning process, so that the scheme can be constructed in 2025.

“The supplier has worked on a design for a temporary construction footbridge, which can be used to move materials on to the platforms. This reduces risk in the construction phase and has improved the development’s affordability.

“We’re expecting a finalised price based on updated construction access, which is going through Network Rail’s funding approval process currently.

“If we’re successful, Story Contracting Limited will begin work again in early 2025. Entry into service of the new footbridge is expected in late 2025.”

Town councillor Madeline Russell suggested: “Even Network Rail is getting slightly concerned about how this has been progressing.

“There was a more senior officer at the last meeting, who’s responsible for this type of project in the eastern region. I think the company’s trying to improve things.

“There’s another meeting online on Monday. This is the fourth time this project has been through this approval process with the company’s financial teams.”

Town councillor Duncan Strachan said: “I’d like our representative at that meeting to express the council’s concern this continues to drag on.

“That’s having seen elderly gentlemen about my age trying to carry two big suitcases down on to the platform from the bridge. It needs doing sooner, rather than later.

“We appreciate Network Rail’s situation, but equally this has been going on far too long. I just hope it’s this year they actually finalise it.”

Councillor Russell replied: “I can provide that viewpoint, while most of us on that group keep saying this.

“The major problem here is what’s being done with the signalling. There was the planning application for south of Biggleswade next to the railway, which is going on until 2030.

“It keeps taking possession of the line and running its own trains to see if the signalling system works. That’s from London King’s Cross to Grantham and gets priority over our little project.

“It’s why the company has decided it can construct a temporary bridge to get materials across to the island platforms. Hopefully we’ll see construction of the temporary bridge in the next month or two.”