Easter road closures pave way for Luton's longer platforms

Platforms are being extended along the Midland Main Line to Bedford ready for the first congestion-busting 12-carriage trains when they enter service on the Thameslink route in December 2011.

At Luton, Network Rail has to widen the rail bridge over Old Bedford Road to the north-west of the station to accommodate the longer platforms.

A new bridge section will be carefully moved into position on the back of a transporter over Easter.

Network Rail will need to close parts of Old Bedford Road, Hucklesby Way and Midland Road over the Easter bank holiday weekend, from 9pm Thursday 1 April until 5am Tuesday 6 April.

Scheduling this work over Easter means that Network Rail will cause as little disruption as possible to train services but there will inevitably be a significant impact on road and pedestrian traffic in the surrounding area.

Click on the map below to vew diversion map and a description of alternative routes.

There are two primary pedestrian diversion routes:

• To the west of the station, via Hucklesby Way / New Bedford Road / Mill Street
• To the east of the station, via Midland Road / the station footbridge / Station Road

Pedestrians on Old Bedford Road, heading towards the railway station and town centre, will be diverted onto North Street and Midland Road, leading onto the station footbridge. Wheelchair, pushchair and mobility scooter users will be able to use the lift down to Station Road and then continue onto Guildford Street.

There are also two traffic diversion routes:

• Southbound traffic on Old Bedford Road will be diverted onto Dudley Street, Midland Road and Church Street to join Guildford Street or St Mary's Road
• Southbound traffic on New Bedford Road will be diverted onto the A505 (Telford Way, Dunstable Road, Stuart Street, Park Viaduct and Lea Road) joining onto St Mary's Road, Guildford Street or Church Street

If you would like further information, please call Network Rail's National Helpline on 08457 11 41 41 or email thameslink@networkrail.co.uk.