East West Rail - should Bletchley get an eastern entrance?

[WolvertonWorks]

Moderator note - split from:

East-West Rail (EWR): Oxford-Bletchley construction progress

This thread is specifically for construction progress (not speculation and not discussion regarding the consultation) of the Oxford to Bletchley section of East West Rail (EWR). For consultation discussion please use...

www.railforums.co.uk

The photos of the test runs on the flyover prompts me to ask what is the status of the expected new eastern entrance to Bletchley?

I'm assuming that passengers for Winslow and Oxford will still need to use the current entrance and go over the new footbridge to the high level platforms when the service starts next year so when will we be able to enter from the eastern side, opposite the bus station, to avoid the long walk round?

 

[DarloRich]

Taking this back to station infrastructure - the photos of the test runs on the flyover prompts me to ask what is the status of the expected new eastern entrance to Bletchley?

facing the town? There isnt one.

 

[swt_passenger]

Taking this back to station infrastructure - the photos of the test runs on the flyover prompts me to ask what is the status of the expected new eastern entrance to Bletchley?

I'm assuming that passengers for Winslow and Oxford will still need to use the current entrance and go over the new footbridge to the high level platforms when the service starts next year so when will we be able to enter from the eastern side, opposite the bus station, to avoid the long walk round?

There’s a few previous discussions in the parent thread, back in 2021 or so, but nothing suggests there are realistic or extant plans for an eastern entrance.

 

[duffield]

facing the town? There isnt one.

What there really should be is a ramp next to the footpath steps leading from the B4034 (just by the railway bridge) to the station. It's quite a long way round by the road for anyone who can't manage or would struggle with those steps, including those with pushchairs etc.. Looks like there's room for one, no structure needed as such, just a doubled back gentle slope on the grassed area.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There’s a few previous discussions in this thread, but nothing suggests there are realistic or extant plans for an eastern entrance.

It was going to be part of the public realm works in the area, including some quite major plans that involved closing the industrial plant and moving the car park to that side, with the other side redeveloped as residential, but that has gone very quiet and the current plan is to move the bus station to the roundabout (roughly) which would mean a much shorter walk, at least to those not requiring level access. In any case few reach the station by bus, it's a "local station for local people", people going to a station by bus will tend to go to MKC which has the buses directly out front and a superior service by both modes. Most people reach it on foot or by car, with some cycling. It's of note that Arriva have withdrawn the 4 from the short extension to the station front as hardly anyone used it. And hardly anybody would go to Bletchley by train other than to visit someone or to visit Bletchley Park, both of which are (mostly, in residential's case) on the station side - the town centre has nothing of note, it's a locals sort of place and quite run down.

In short it'd be useful (not least for the other Bletchley resident on here!) but it's not essential.

 

[sqwizz]

And hardly anybody would go to Bletchley by train other than to visit someone or to visit Bletchley Park, both of which are (mostly, in residential's case) on the station side

The stadium too, you see a lot of people making the trek on foot when there are big events

 

[Bletchleyite]

The stadium too, you see a lot of people making the trek on foot when there are big events

Yes, that's true. Though it's a fairly long walk anyway so I doubt people are that bothered about another 50-100 yards. If you're able bodied and can use the steps it isn't really a lot extra. There's also the other route right out of the station and across the "dodgy" bridge to Granby, though I suspect most people don't know about it and Google claims it's the same distance.

 

[eastdyke]

Taking this back to station infrastructure - the photos of the test runs on the flyover prompts me to ask what is the status of the expected new eastern entrance to Bletchley?

I'm assuming that passengers for Winslow and Oxford will still need to use the current entrance and go over the new footbridge to the high level platforms when the service starts next year so when will we be able to enter from the eastern side, opposite the bus station, to avoid the long walk round?

Looking ahead [nasty habit I have] there will be far better services from BLU for Winslow and Oxford than from MKC. Residents of Milton Keynes will gravitate there for EWR not least also for Bedford and for Cambridge.
The eastern entrance is inevitable but may take some time!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Looking ahead [nasty habit I have] there will be far better services from BLU for Winslow and Oxford than from MKC. Residents of Milton Keynes will gravitate there for EWR not least also for Bedford and for Cambridge.

If they do they'll mostly gravitate there by car, not least because parking is more plentiful and cheaper than MKC. Even for non car owners, people largely don't use the awful bus service to connect with trains in Milton Keynes. If people don't own a car they're more likely to take a taxi.

Though to be honest most people going to Bedford from Milton Keynes will just drive there. The roads are quite good now the A421 has been dualled, and Bedford isn't bad for parking either - very different from super-car-unfriendly Oxford and the seriously congested A34. The demand at Bedford is more likely to be inbound for the shopping centre and employment (which is very distributed), so unless there's a direct Bedford-MKC (which isn't planned) it'll probably stick with the car or the bus.

The eastern entrance is inevitable but may take some time!

I suspect it might be revisited if the industrial plant closes down and the land is sold for residential development. Which I agree will happen at some point when the land becomes lucrative enough. Which EWR will of course help!

 

[zwk500]

Yes, that's true. Though it's a fairly long walk anyway so I doubt people are that bothered about another 50-100 yards. If you're able bodied and can use the steps it isn't really a lot extra. There's also the other route right out of the station and across the "dodgy" bridge to Granby, though I suspect most people don't know about it and Google claims it's the same distance.

Although it's not that much extra, IIRC it's got a quite long very narrow section, and the bit under the dual carriageway is also not pleasant in the slightest.
It's a shame the opportunity to put a footbridge over the dual carriageway between the bus station and a new eastern station entrance wasn't taken.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Although it's not that much extra, IIRC it's got a quite long very narrow section

It hasn't now. The road under the bridge has been reduced to one lane towards Bletchley and the pavement extended to incorporate a full-spec Redway.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Oct 2024 ==

It's a shame the opportunity to put a footbridge over the dual carriageway between the bus station and a new eastern station entrance wasn't taken.

The bus station is going to be relocated to nearer the roundabout (which won't be a roundabout any more) when the redevelopment that the Council plan takes place. It'll also be more of a set of on street stops than a bus station, which will make better use of space given the smallish number of routes using it, and will prevent some buses needing to do a double-back to serve it. Think what was done at Ryde on the Isle of Wight. It's a bit of a hive of antisocial behaviour and vandalism, so that won't be a bad thing but would render such a footbridge not very useful.

 

[DarloRich]

Noting the split of this thread.

In answering the question should Bletchley get an eastern entrance I say aye!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Oct 2024 ==

It hasn't now. The road under the bridge has been reduced to one lane towards Bletchley and the pavement extended to incorporate a full-spec Redway.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Oct 2024 ==



The bus station is going to be relocated to nearer the roundabout (which won't be a roundabout any more) when the redevelopment that the Council plan takes place. It'll also be more of a set of on street stops than a bus station, which will make better use of space given the smallish number of routes using it, and will prevent some buses needing to do a double-back to serve it. Think what was done at Ryde on the Isle of Wight. It's a bit of a hive of antisocial behaviour and vandalism, so that won't be a bad thing but would render such a footbridge not very useful.

regardless of the council moving the bus station, which I doubt will ever happen, it is pretty silly to build a new station and not build an access point facing the town centre! I Understand the funding issues but it is a strange one.

I suspect on day one some herbet will pop the emergency exit doors and within no time they will become an unofficial exit.

 

[zwk500]

It hasn't now. The road under the bridge has been reduced to one lane towards Bletchley and the pavement extended to incorporate a full-spec Redway.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Oct 2024 ==

My recollection was that it was the section between the steps and the Station that was narrow but it's been some years and I only used it a handful of times.

The bus station is going to be relocated to nearer the roundabout (which won't be a roundabout any more) when the redevelopment that the Council plan takes place. It'll also be more of a set of on street stops than a bus station, which will make better use of space given the smallish number of routes using it, and will prevent some buses needing to do a double-back to serve it. Think what was done at Ryde on the Isle of Wight. It's a bit of a hive of antisocial behaviour and vandalism, so that won't be a bad thing but would render such a footbridge not very ususeful.

Regardless of the position of the bus stops, a footbridge where there is currently a signalled crossing would, IMO, be very useful!
Especially as the road to access the stone terminal is c. 3-4m higher than the dual carriageway at that point.

 

[WolvertonWorks]

Thanks Bletchleyite #5, I didn't realise that the redevelopment that would have made an eastern entrance available wasn't happening anytime soon.

When we saw the "tower" being built we assumed this was the new eastern entrance.

Shame - maybe one day.

​

 

[DarloRich]

When we saw the "tower" being built we assumed this was the new eastern entrance

No - that is the station building. It does have emergency egress at street level though

 

[Bletchleyite]

My recollection was that it was the section between the steps and the Station that was narrow but it's been some years and I only used it a handful of times.

The pavement is but the road is barely used so you can happily walk along it!

 

[Meerkat]

Isn’t the new footbridge link a bit narrow to support an Eastern entrance - I assume a London LNWR peak train disgorging creates quite a surge in the peak??
Are there plans for the police station and old fire sites? Combine that with NR land and its a prime site with potential for a much improved route to the station entrance from the underbridge.
Is what I assume is an ‘old’ signal box listed - it’s rather striking!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Isn’t the new footbridge link a bit narrow to support an Eastern entrance - I assume a London LNWR peak train disgorging creates quite a surge in the peak??

It does to an extent, but almost none of it will be going to that side. Most residential and all the car parking is on the side where the entrance is now, as is the (very small) taxi rank. The steps by the bridge are not well-used.

If the once-proposed major change to move the main entrance and parking to that side was carried out after factory closure, a wider bridge would probably be a sensible addition.

 

[Meerkat]

It does to an extent, but almost none of it will be going to that side. Most residential and all the car parking is on the side where the entrance is now, as is the (very small) taxi rank. The steps by the bridge are not well-used.

If the once-proposed major change to move the main entrance and parking to that side was carried out after factory closure, a wider bridge would probably be a sensible addition.

Obviously I am not the local but from the map there seems to be plenty of residential in walking distance to the East, and a low density town centre ripe for redevelopment.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Obviously I am not the local but from the map

I'm not saying an eastern entrance would be a bad thing, simply that with finite funding it should not be a spending priority, but local understanding and knowledge is important when thinking about these things.

there seems to be plenty of residential in walking distance to the East

Most of the housing on that side that's near enough for people to walk to the station (noting that MK is very car dependent and most people won't walk very far at all) is either social housing, shared ownership, bungalows mostly owned by elderly people and low cost terraced housing mostly containing relatively poor people. Those demographics are not traditionally big users of rail, not least rail that is basically about going to London, Birmingham or shortly Oxford (local use is tiny, most would use the bus for that or a taxi, assuming they didn't drive, and any usage of the Marston Vale is small!). But that's not to say that housing development won't change that, particularly if the factory was to close and that site be developed.

and a low density town centre ripe for redevelopment.

Under no circumstances would Bletchley town centre ever be an inbound destination of any significance, it is a "local place for local people" as are all the local centres in MK (both new build and traditional) and from the actual town centre (which is basically a single street) the walk to the current entrance does not add much at all, tens of yards at most.

Some would even argue that Bletchley town centre has actually moved to the Stadium site, though aside from football traffic and the very occasional gig is still mostly for locals, and mostly accessed by car.

I don't have stats, but aside from the stadium I suspect the biggest inbound destination at Bletchley might well be Bletchley Park (which is on the same side as the present entrance).

 

[Meerkat]

Under no circumstances would Bletchley town centre ever be an inbound destination of any significance,

I meant building a load of residential towers as is happening around stations across the south east.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I meant building a load of residential towers as is happening around stations across the south east.

There are some flats going up now, though I suspect they'll not be commuter heavy. Commuters are more likely to go for a house with a garden if choosing this far out, as they're quite affordable here for the SE. Bletchley is not going to look like Croydon any time soon.

But also see my point about where the centre actually is and how an eastern entrance would make little difference to the length of walk.

 

[weeklycommuter]

The potential new eastern entrance to Bletchley Station is referred to on page 141 of the following document from the non-statutory consultation on East West Rail in 2021.

https://eastwestrail-production.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/public/EAS060_TechDoc_160421_Master_Digital.pdf