Rail passengers planning to travel through Bedford next week are being warned by the rail industry to expect disruption to train services until the end of next week (28 June) and to only travel on this route if their journey is essential.
Following the train crash on Friday (19 June) involving a collision between two East Midlands Railway (EMR) trains in the Bedford area, in which an EMR driver sadly died and many passengers were injured, the railway is expected to remain closed between Bedford and Luton for the rest of the week.
As a result, there will be no GTR services north of Luton and no EMR services south of Bedford, with a limited rail replacement bus service in operation between Luton and Bedford.
Journey planning apps and websites are being updated to reflect these changes and may take a few hours to do so. Customers are advised to check live travel updates before they travel.
For as long as the Midland Main Line is closed at Bedford, train operators are accepting tickets for EMR customers. For customers whose journeys are affected, tickets will be accepted on any alternative route. If customers decide to travel on EMR once the line is reopened, their connecting tickets on other operators will also be valid on that other day.
East Midlands Railway (EMR)
No EMR services will run between Bedford and London St Pancras. Trains that usually start and terminate at London St Pancras will start and terminate at Bedford instead. From Monday, EMR will operate a reduced service on its Intercity and Connect routes, although Regional services will remain unaffected.
EMR Intercity and Connect services will operate one train per hour in each direction:
One train per hour between Sheffield and Bedford, calling at Chesterfield, Derby, Long Eaton, East Midlands Parkway, Loughborough, Leicester, Market Harborough, Kettering and Bedford.
One train per hour between Nottingham and Bedford, calling at Beeston, East Midlands Parkway, Loughborough, Leicester, Market Harborough, Kettering, Wellingborough and Bedford.
One train per hour between Corby and Kettering.
Rail replacement buses will be provided in each direction as follows:
One direct bus per hour between Kettering and Luton (departing on the hour).
One bus per hour between Kettering and Luton Airport Parkway, calling at Wellingborough, Bedford and Luton (departing on the hour).
EMR Luton Airport Express services will not run whilst the recovery operation continues. Passengers travelling between Luton Airport Parkway and London St Pancras in either direction may use their ticket at no extra cost on Thameslink services. For passengers travelling between Luton Airport Parkway and stations to or from the North, rail replacement buses will operate between Luton Airport Parkway and Luton, Bedford and Kettering. Connections are available at Bedford and Kettering for services towards Sheffield or Nottingham.
Greater Thameslink Railway (GTR)
From Monday, north of London St Pancras, Thameslink will run a limited service as far as Luton only. Thameslink and Great Northern will have ticket acceptance in place for EMR customers.
People should travel only if absolutely necessary. There will be no trains between Bedford and Luton, and only limited rail replacement buses. Elsewhere, north of London St Pancras on Thameslink, there will be:
Four trains an hour to and from Luton during peak hours.
Two trains an hour to and from Luton outside peak hours.
Eight trains an hour from London to St Albans during peak hours.
Six trains an hour from London to St Albans outside peak hours.
The following limited rail replacement buses will run from Monday:
Bedford to Luton Airport Parkway and back, calling at Luton only (shuttle every 30 minutes).
Bedford to Luton and back, calling at Flitwick, Harlington and Leagrave (shuttle every 15 minutes during peak hours and every 30 minutes during off-peak hours).
GTR will also have extra staff on hand at key stations along the route to help and support customers with their journeys.