Campaign for better railway services in Northampton gathers momentum
Universal Studios UK development sparks calls for improved rail links
Last updated 12th Jun 2026
A Northampton MP has launched a new campaign calling for direct trains between the town and Universal’s new theme park in Bedford.
The government has confirmed that there are currently no plans to include Northampton when East West Rail passenger services launch, despite the line already being used for freight trains through Northampton Gateway.
Mike Reader, the Labour MP for Northampton South, raised the issue in the House of Commons today (Thursday, June 11) during oral questions on transport and asked for a commitment to secure connectivity into the county.
He said he has now secured a meeting with Lord Hendy, the Rail Minister, to make the case for the connection directly.
In a statement provided to the LDRS, Mr Reader said: “One of the biggest theme parks in Europe is being built on our doorstep, and right now the plan is for Northampton to miss out on the opportunity this brings. I don’t accept that.
“The track is already there. Freight trains run on this line to Northampton Gateway every week. All that’s missing is the commitment to let local people use it, so families here can hop on a train to Universal rather than sitting in traffic.
“And this is about far more than days out. The same connection would open up jobs in Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire and Oxford, connecting the Ox-Cam Growth Corridor by rail, and give Northampton a better route towards Luton Airport. Universal itself will create thousands of jobs, and our residents should be able to get to them.
“The Minister told me there are no plans for Northampton. That’s the wrong answer, and I’m campaigning to change it. I’ve secured a meeting with the Rail Minister, and I won’t stop until Northampton is on the map.”
At the moment, rail users would need to change trains at Bletchley to access East West Rail and travel on routes between Oxford and Cambridge.
West Northants Council (WNC) has said it has been part of a group which is advocating the development of East West Rail to provide better connectivity across the region and allow for a West Coast Main Line train to change onto East West Rail without passengers needing to swap platforms.
Earlier this week, WNC approved its new Rail Action Plan alongside a suite of other active travel strategies, which sets out a practical framework for delivering improvements over the next five years.
At a cabinet meeting discussing the strategy, WNC’s executive director of place and economy, Stuart Timmiss, said the task for the council was making sure to “maximise the opportunities” for the area through East West Rail. He also said the authority was “talking to government at the highest levels” to make sure that happens.
According to the council reports, proposed journey times from Northampton to Oxford with East West Rail would drop from an existing 84 minutes commute to 65 minutes, and journey times to Cambridge would be cut in half from 173 minutes to 81 minutes by rail.
Restoring historic railway lines
Currently, West Northamptonshire is served by three railway stations in Northampton, Long Buckby, and Kings Sutton.
The council held a consultation between December 2025 and January 2026, seeking residents’ views on future priorities for train services in the production of its Rail Action Plan.
The most common responses received related to the way that people travel to and from the existing railway stations and the need to link up public transport options, however it also received a number of comments relating to the re-opening of former railway infrastructure.
These included reinstating a Northampton to Bedford direct line, via Brackmills, and the Northampton to Wellingborough line following the River Nene. WNC has said it sees the most feasible option for the former Bedford connection as an active travel route, and that Northampton to Wellingborough is best suited for a road-based public transport corridor which would be prioritised for improved bus journeys.
Another former railway line from Northampton to Market Harborough, using the current Brampton Valley Way, has also been highlighted as a route for potential future growth. The council has said it will undertake a study of the route’s future as a rail corridor once the current draft Local Plan is adopted.
Cllr Jonathan Harris (Liberal Democrat, Brixworth) said he had “considerable issues” with the proposed reopening and highlighted inconsistencies among the council’s different transport strategies, as the route is also allocated as a green corridor for active travel.
Proposals for the reinstatement of the former railway line have also recently appeared in the latest draft of the council’s Local Plan, with campaigners saying it could improve travel to Leicester, Nottingham and the North.
Stuart Timmiss said the rail line was going to be a bit of a “marmite” project, but added that a study into the route’s feasibility would need to be completed first to understand the potential benefits of the route as a rail corridor before any decisions are made.
Other key aims of the strategy include working with train operators to improve accessibility to all the stations in West Northamptonshire, including step-free access, better wayfinding, seating and shelters.