East West Rail: Bedford mayor’s £2.7m interest in scheme

Documents from Northampton Magistrates’ Court show EWR sought permission in September 2025 to carry out survey work on land owned by Wootton and other family members in Ravensden and Wilden after access was initially refused.

By comparing title plans contained in the court papers with EWR technical drawings, the BBC identified the extent to which the family’s land would be affected.

The drawings propose a large soil storage area near the mayor’s home, a construction traffic route passing his farm and construction compounds and utility works on land owned by the family.

Once completed, the scheme would leave a 14m-high (46ft) railway viaduct crossing the farm, alongside access roads, drainage ponds and habitat restoration measures.

Large areas of high grade agricultural land would be lost and the farm effectively divided in two.

The Localism Act 2011 requires councillors to declare personal financial interests in meetings where an item being discussed could leave them financially better or worse off.

Guidance also states members should make declarations when acting in their official capacity, even when they are not making formal decisions.

Councillors must update their register of interests within 28 days of becoming aware of a relevant interest.

In June 2026, a fellow Tory councillor complained that Wootton had failed to properly declare his financial interest in the rail scheme.

An assessment by the council’s monitoring officer found no further investigation was necessary. The council declined to provide a copy of its decision and the evidence supporting it.

Between November 2024 and June 2026 the mayor’s register of interest did set out that he was part of a “farming partnership” that owned land in the parishes of Ravensden, Renhold, Thurleigh and Wilden.

In June 2026 the register was updated to reflect personal ownership of some of this land.

The BBC identified one council meeting and 14 official meetings the mayor attended in which the council’s code of conduct suggests a declaration was required, but where no declaration was recorded. Wootton said in a statement he was “content he has declared everything he has to”.

On 4 February 2026, councillors debated a public petition relating to East West Rail and the construction of a multi story car park in Bedford town centre. The mayor spoke in this debate and no financial interest was recorded.

The official meetings include six with EWR representatives and council officers between May 2023 and February 2026, seven public consultation events between July 2023 and March 2024, and a meeting with transport minister Lord Hendy in April 2026.

Minutes from the parliamentary meeting show Wootton urged the minister to abandon the preferred “Route E” option and consider alternatives south of Bedford. There was no record made of Wootton declaring a pecuniary interest.

These routes would avoid land owned by Wootton and his family.

The BBC asked both Wootton and the Department for Transport (DfT) whether any declaration of financial interests was made in advance of or at the meeting.

The DfT said responsibility for declaring such interests rested with the mayor and council, while Wootton said he had “declared everything” he should have “in accordance with the requirements of the Member Code of Conduct”.