New concept art showcases the upcoming Universal Studios UK station, while local road closures and a new bridge raise concerns about traffic disruption.
Big updates today regarding the future Universal Studios UK train station on the East-West Rail Marston Vale line. Some new concept art has come to light showing what the station may — and likely will — look like, and it’s another reminder that this project is moving closer to reality. Seeing transport plans become more detailed makes everything feel that bit more real now.
But alongside the excitement, there’s also some significant local road news.
The Broadmead Road crossing, which had originally been proposed to remain open, is now set to close and be replaced with a bridge. Manor Road (the Kempston Hardwick route running between the Core Zone and Lake Zone) will also close permanently at the crossing, with only a pedestrian footbridge remaining. Vehicle access will instead be diverted via a new road through the future transport hub on Universal land.
As someone local, I’ll be honest — that part doesn’t feel ideal.
During the SDO process, there was a lot of talk about keeping disruption to a minimum, but changes like this make it feel like that promise is slowly fading. Manor Road is a heavily used route, and losing that direct connection could have a real knock-on effect for nearby businesses, especially around Interchange Park.
Traffic in and around Bedford is already a frustration for many people, and if getting around becomes even harder, I can imagine more people choosing places like Milton Keynes instead.
That said… I can’t lie… I still want to see those roller coasters going up. 🎢
So it’s a mix of emotions today — excitement for the park, concern for the infrastructure.
What do you all think? Fair trade-off for progress, or are locals being asked to sacrifice too much?
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