Rail campaign group to stage protest at Bletchley Station over delayed East West service

A newly formed campaign group is set to stage its first protest outside Bletchley railway station on Saturday, 25 April, from 11am to 3pm.

The East West Rail Action Group is organising the demonstration to push for progress on the delayed East West Rail passenger service. Members of the group will be on hand with tablets to assist people in signing a petition calling on the Government to resolve ongoing issues and get the service running.

Organisers have emphasised that the protest will be peaceful and that access to and from the station will not be obstructed. The event is open to anyone who wishes to attend.

The group has been established to apply pressure on decision-makers to move forward with the long-delayed passenger service between Bletchley and Oxford. Co-founder Diana Blamires has launched a petition urging the Government to break what she describes as a deadlock between unions and Chiltern Railways. The petition has attracted close to 2,500 signatures.

The East West Rail passenger service was originally expected to begin operating by the end of the year. However, a dispute between unions and Chiltern Railways over staffing arrangements on trains remains unresolved. In addition, trains are not yet ready for service, driver training is incomplete, and although Winslow railway station was completed nearly two years ago, no passenger trains are currently running on the line.

Freight services have been operating along the route for almost a year. Meanwhile, Chiltern Railways’ franchise is due to end in September, after which the service will be brought into public ownership.

Blamires said she believes the situation is being used for political purposes, suggesting that delays may be resolved only after the franchise change. She added that the lack of progress is affecting people who moved to areas along the route expecting to rely on the rail link for work.

She also criticised the Government for failing to resolve the dispute while allowing freight services to operate, noting concerns from residents about increased nighttime noise.

The group is encouraging members of the public to attend the protest to show their frustration and call for action.