Upgrades to Kempton Hardwick near Bedford if Universal Studios gets built

[wanderingriver]

Recently Universal Studios have announced that they want to build a theme park just south of Bedford next to Kempton Hardwick. As great as that would be, the train station next to the site (it’s where Manor Road and Marston Vale Line intersect on the attached map) is absolutely tiny as it only serves the village. How big of an upgrade do you think will be needed to be made to facilitate people coming to and from the theme park if built?

 

[SynthD]

Manor Road should be rebuilt entirely, with a bridge over this line, wide pavements, a turning lane. I expect the area from the A421 to the housing will be unrecognisable when the park opens. The station is one small part of that, it may move if that is easier for the overbridge. The new platforms would be full length and width, with lifts, toilets, staff. Hopefully waiting rooms and a bus circle.

 

[dosxuk]

I would be amazed if a new station wasn't built on the MML to link directly into the resort.

It also wouldn't surprise me if the decision was taken to completely close Kempton Hardwick station to prevent visitors from using those services over the Thameslink ones. They will be planning for thousands of people to arrive in the morning and leave in the late afternoon / evening - the planning will be asking if it would it even be possible to add that capacity to the Bletchley / Bedford route - whereas on the Thameslink route they would be needing demand in the opposite direction to the normal peak flows.

 

[PGAT]

Well there will be a new station at Wixams, although I have doubts on it being well integrated

 

[swt_passenger]

I think the rail implications of the theme park have already been covered in a few other threads? Mainly the one about Wixams, but there’s also quite a few ‘out of place’ comments following on from post #1414 in the main EWR construction thread:

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

After many years of driving past the line, today was the first time I saw this signal lit up That's excellent, thanks. I didn't wander up to the overbridge, so I didn't spot the signal was operational. I can't wait to see traffic return to the line.

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