Full rail service set to return to suspended line

The railway route was fully suspended for almost a year

Services on a train route that has been suspended for more than a year are set to fully return from Monday 19 February.

The Marston Vale Line, which has 12 stations between Bedford and Bletchley, has been suspended since December 2022. A morning and afternoon peak service resumed in November.

The Monday to Saturday service will return to a full timetable, with fares reduced to £1 for three months, the operator London Northwestern Railway (LNR) said.

Buses have been used on the route after the maintenance provider, Vivarail, went into administration.

The new rail service has replaced the defunct Class 230s

Jonny Wiseman, from LNR, said the return was "fantastic news and marks the end of a frustrating period for our customers" and it hoped the price offer would encourage "passengers to make full use of their local train service".

"We recognise that due to logistical challenges it has taken longer than we had hoped to bring back the full timetable, but we are thrilled we can now reinstate services and we look forward to welcoming passengers back on board."

Class 150 trains have replaced the Class 230 trains that previously ran along the line.

The service includes CCTV and space for bicycles

Stephen Sleight, from the Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership, said: "I am delighted a full train service is resuming on the line, which is a lifeline for communities and means an enormous amount to local people who rely on it for education, work and leisure.

"We have a number of exciting plans to celebrate the relaunch of the line, including a new promotional film to be released in time for Easter."