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Adam Zerny, leader of Central Bedfordshire Council, says vital infrastructure upgrades are needed to support Universal’s planned UK theme park
Lauren Heath-Jones | Planet Attractions | 22 May 2025
The Universal UK resort is scheduled to open in 2031 and is expected to draw 8.5 million visitors in its first year Credit: Universal
The area surrounding Universal’s planned UK theme park in Bedford will require significant infrastructure upgrades if the multi-billion-pound project goes ahead, a local council leader has said.
Adam Zerny, leader of Central Bedfordshire Council, told the BBC that improvements are particularly needed near junction 13 of the M1 motorway to ensure smooth guest access to the site.
“Junction 13 does need to be sorted out, and we also believe the roundabouts should be removed from the A1 to improve the flow of traffic,” Zerny said.
Although Comcast – Universal’s parent company – has yet to submit a formal planning application, Zerny confirmed that the council has been in ongoing discussions with the company over the past year. He emphasized that the need for improved transport links has been repeatedly raised.
“Universal is well aware of the infrastructure needs that we have continually put forward on behalf of residents,” said Zerny.
“We will be pushing the government for solutions. We want a lot for this area, and we’re going to demand a lot. Don’t ask, don’t get.”
Zerny’s comments come just weeks after Universal signed a landmark agreement in principle with the UK government for the Bedfordshire resort, which, if approved, will be “one of the largest and most advanced” theme parks in Europe.
The site of Universal’s proposed UK resort in Bedfordshire CREDIT: UNIVERSAL
Set to open in 2031, the Universal UK resort will be built on the site of a former brickworks in Kempston Hardwick, just south of Bedford. Spanning 476 acres, it will include a theme park, a retail and entertainment complex, and 500-room hotel.
An economic impact analysis commissioned by Universal Destinations & Experiences projects the resort will attract 8.5 million visitors in its first year and could contribute nearly £50bn (US$64bn, €58bn) to the UK economy in its first 20 years.
In addition to creating 20,000 jobs during construction and 8,000 permanent positions once operational, Universal has also committed to working with the government on significant upgrades to local road and rail infrastructure.
Zerny voiced his support for the project, describing the development as “great news.”
“Not just the park itself – new infrastructure, jobs in construction and on the site once it’s completed, and potentially increased income for local businesses,” he told the BBC.
The Bedfordshire resort is part of a broader expansion strategy by Universal, which today (May 22) will officially open its highly-anticipated Epic Universe resort in Orlando, Florida.
The highly-anticipated Epic Universe resort opens in Orlando today (May 22) CREDIT: UNIVERSAL
Spanning 750 acres, Epic Universe is billed as Universal’s most ambitious and technologically advanced theme park to date, offering an “unmatched” level of storytelling, innovation and theme park immersion.
The park, Universal’s first major theme park to open in the US in 25 years, represents Comcast’s largest investment to date, rumoured to be approximately US$7bn (€6.2bn, £5.3bn).
It features five immersive lands; Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, Celestial Park and Dark Universe, each promising groundbreaking experiences.
It also offers 50 attractions including entertainment experiences, as well as themed retail and dining outlets and three hotels; Universal Stella Nova, Universal Terra Luna and Universal Helios Grand Hotel.
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