No train services unacceptable says councillor

The suspension of train services serving small towns and villages in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire since December remains "unacceptable", a councillor said.

The Marston Vale Line, which has 12 stations between Bedford and Bletchley, stopped running when Vivarail, the company that built and maintained the trains, went into administration.

John Baker, an independent councillor at Central Bedfordshire Council, said replacement bus services were "too slow" and journeys were now a lot harder for children and commuters.

London Northwestern Railway, which operates the line, said it was working to find a solution.

Mr Baker, who represents the villages of Aspley and Woburn, said: "The lack of a service on the Marston Valley is simply unacceptable.

"New Vivarail trains have been introduced on this route, yet the service has been replaced with a random bus service."

He said residents told him that children could no longer easily get to college in Stewartby or school in Bedford, and he had heard of people driving miles to Bletchley to commute to London.

"London Northwestern claims that Vivarail can't provide maintenance services, yet South Western Railway are still running the same trains on the Isle of Wight.

"If it's really too difficult to employ people to maintain Vivarail trains, surely some other trains can be found for this line?

"These residents deserve a reliable service and London Northwestern needs to get its act together."

A London Northwestern Railway spokesman said: "As a consequence of Vivarail entering administration, we are currently unable to run a service on the Marston Vale Line.

"We are continuing to work hard to find a solution."

The spokesman said the company had no date for when services would resume, but all options were being considered.

He explained a train service was continuing to run on the Isle of Wight as South Western Railway had directly employed the maintenance staff.

Local resident Tracy Carter said the line was "vital for teenagers wanting to see their friends in another village, older folk to get to shops, and it is really handy because it is a connection if you want to get to London for the day, which I have used it for".

"Besides that, the history of the train line is phenomenal," she said.

Stephen Sleight, transport team leader for the Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership, said the trains were a "lifeline for the community" and the lack of services was having a great impact on the local leisure market.

"This is unprecedented. I can't think of another example like this in recent years," he said.

Grant Thornton was appointed administrators of Vivarail on 1 December.

Jon Roden, joint administrator, said: "It has not been appropriate to continue to trade the Vivarail business in administration, and we have retained a small team of employees to assist us with realising best value for the company's assets and winding down the company's operations."

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