This morning, the Bedfordshire Rail Access Network (BRAN) team, along with Network Rail and the contractors, visited Biggleswade station to inspect and identify any potential issues with the new ramp and lifts. Of course, the first question on everyone’s lips was when the lifts would enter public service, and we were told that this would be ‘before Christmas’.
So, at last, some festive cheer for the long suffering residents of Biggleswade and the surrounding villages, for whom the station has been a no-go area for many years.
While it was not discussed in detail today, I have had it confirmed that when the lifts come into service, there will be a staff presence at the station from the first train until the last, via a combination of station staff rostered to be at the station and the additional presence of a mobile assistance team, which will be based at Biggleswade. We must have asked this staffing question at every single meeting!
After working on the campaign for lifts at the station for the last eight years, a campaign that has faced many challenges and delays, it is actually quite hard to believe that we are just about over the line. No one can say we only go for the quick wins!
But back to business. Network Rail invited us along to check for any snagging issues and we did find some that we trust will be resolved before or very soon after the initial opening. I also brought along my trusty tape measure to check the dimensions of the lifts and the walkways.
I am pleased to say that Network Rail did take on board our feedback we gave in the early design stages and increased the width of the ramp leading up to the new bridge, making it 2,000mm wide between handrails, up from 1,800mm in their original designs. They also increased the width of the new stairs to the same dimensions. Just to advise, as it is a question we have been asked a lot, GTR has confirmed that they have no plans to close the current stairs.
The lifts are as per the original specification, a 16-person lift (although I can never quite believe the indicated person capacity on any lift I have been in) and it is a through lift, meaning that when you enter the lift from one side, you will be exiting the lift to the other side, avoiding any need to swing your wheelchair around.
We raised the issue of the lack of handrails on the bridge section, which are present everywhere else, including in the lifts, and Network Rail agreed to look into this. When I got home, I checked the ‘Design Standards for Accessible Railway Stations’, and it may potentially be the case that there is no requirement. However, we did point out that Standards are always a minimum, not a maximum.
We also highlighted some issues around signage and the tactile flooring on the approach to the new stairs, which Network Rail will be looking into. As with any major project, there are always likely to be some issues outstanding and overall, we were very happy with the setup.
We will continue to work with Network Rail before and after the opening of the lifts to ensure the issues identified, as well as any further issues that may arise in the next few weeks are dealt with. If you have any questions, please do get in touch with me at: bedsrailaccessnetwork@gmail.com
The funding for lifts at Biggleswade was announced in April 2019, so this has been a very lengthy process. I will now say to anyone campaigning for lifts at their station that getting the funding is definitely the easy bit – and this isn’t exactly easy! At one stage, the lifts were on course to be opened in the Summer of 2022 (via ‘Project SPEED’ for those with some knowledge of the workings of the railway), but as you will be aware from previous updates, the delays kept coming.
I would like to thank those who had campaigned for lifts at Biggleswade before we started our campaign in 2018; Alistair Burt and Richard Fuller, the previous and current MPs for Biggleswade; other MPs and MEPs who visited the station and raised the issue of Biggleswade station in the House of Commons and the European Parliament; the local town and CBC Councillors; all those who signed the petition (over 11,000 people); the Biggleswade Chronicle who were always happy to run a story about our campaign, but most of all my amazing BRAN team who have provided such valuable insight and from whom I have learnt so much.
This is the 18th ‘Biggleswade Station Update’ blog I have written. I’m hopeful it will be one of the last.
So, what’s next once the project at Biggleswade has been completed? Much of the UK rail network remains completely inaccessible to disabled people, those with reduced mobility and parents with young children. Disappointingly, the current government has given no indication that they are going to speed up the glacial pace of accessibility improvements across our railway. We will be continuing to press for rail accessibility to be viewed as a right, not as a favour. There’s lots more work to do!
Julian Vaughan
Chair Bedfordshire Rail Access Network
28th November 2025
Further Reading:
Design Standards for Accessible Railway Stations: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/accessible-railway-stations-design-standards
Access Denied: rights versus reality in disabled people’s access to transport: House of Commons Transport Committee: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/47122/documents/244036/default/
Julian Vaughan 