Residents of Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire and users of its station are being asked for their views on plans for a permanent public right of way over the West Coast Main Line at Leighton Buzzard station.

A public consultation evening is being held at Linslade Community Hall. Waterloo Road, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 2NR, on Wednesday, 24th September, between 4.30 pm and 7 pm, when representatives from Network Rail will be available to discuss options for reinstating a permanent public right of way across Leighton Buzzard station.

For safety reasons, in 2019 Network Rail removed the footbridge that carried the previous public right of way, and provided a temporary alternative route over the station’s southern footbridge.

Network Rail is working closely with London Northwestern Railway, which manages Leighton Buzzard station, on options to reinstate a permanent public right of way across the station. Views are being sought on three options:

• To change the temporary alternative route over the station’s southern footbridge into a permanent public right of way.
• To construct a new ramped footbridge on the site of the old bridge removed by Network Rail in 2019.
• To construct a new stepped footbridge on the site of the old bridge removed by Network Rail in 2019.

After the consultation, Network Rail will submit an application to Central Bedfordshire Council to legally divert the public right of way; this will be the second application after an application to divert the right of way over the station’s northern bridge was rejected in April 2025.

Alternatively, people can submit their feedback online to the Leighton Buzzard public right of way website by Wednesday, 1st October 2025.

Network Rail is currently replacing footbridges at many sites across the UK, including at Abergavenny in South Wales and at Barking in East London.

“We’re inviting local people to share their views on options for a permanent right of way across Leighton Buzzard station as part of our plans to safely secure connectivity for pedestrians over the busy West Coast Main Line. The feedback we receive will help us to better understand the needs of the local community before we submit a new planning application for a permanent right of way to be reinstated.”

Carole Bayliss, strategy director for Network Rail’s West Coast South route