Universal theme park deal secured with UK pledge to spend £500m on transport

Attraction at site of former brickworks in Bedford expected to bring £50bn boost to Britain’s economy and create jobs

The deal to build Universal’s new theme park in Bedford was secured with a package of support that included £500m of public investment in rail and road infrastructure, it has emerged.

Comcast, the parent company of Universal, is in negotiations over the final scale of the overall government assistance, which could be expanded beyond infrastructure investment.