18 / 48
16
• Other accessible airports
include the even closer
Cranfield Airport for executive
flights and London’s Heathrow
and Stansted international
airports
Business Land
• Over 60 hectares (150 acres)
of land developed for
businesses since 2001
• A further 80 hectares (200
acres) identified and as much
again being considered
through the planning process
Businesses and Jobs
• Over 7,000 businesses
employing over 85,000 people
• Strong business start-up
performance particularly in
the knowledge sector
• A rate of growth in jobs
significantly ahead of regional
and national rates
Competitive – The
Place to Do Business
With great connectivity that
just keeps on improving, an
increasingly attractive town
centre, some of the best schools
and colleges in the country,
more than 50,000 university
students within 30 miles, lower
than might be expected building
costs and a broad range of sites
and premises, Bedford is a
highly competitive place to
do business.
Key Business
Growth Statistics
Connectivity
By road
• Excellent road links to London,
Birmingham, Cambridge,
Milton Keynes and beyond
• Major road improvements
completed including the
dualling of the A421 link in
2010 to the M1 motorway and
A1, providing sub-10 minute
access
• Completed Bedford Western
Bypass (A421 to A428 to A6).
• Road funding announced for
dualling of the A428 to create
a continuous ‘expressway’
from Cambridge to Bedford,
including a grade separated
junction at the A1 Black Cat
roundabout
By rail/coach
• Fast and frequent trains to
London and St. Pancras
International Eurostar terminal
(journey times as little as
35 minutes)
• Direct Midland Main Line trains
to Leicester, Nottingham,
Sheffield, Derby and beyond
and good access to the East
and West Coast Main Lines,
East West Rail in prospect
• Central to the Oxford – Milton
Keynes – Bedford – to
Cambridge X5 internet enabled
coach service
By air
• The very accessible London
Luton International Airport
now handles about 12m
passengers a year travelling
to 100 destinations in 33
countries serving a huge
business travel market
M40
M11
M1
A421
A1(M1)
MILTON KEYNES
LUTON
CRANFIELD
NORTHAMPTON
CAMBRIDGE
BEDFORD
Q Q
Q
LONDON
Motorways
A Roads -
Dual Carriageway
Railway
Oxford-Cambridge Arc
Golden Triangle