Sandy started to grow alongside the development in communication with other centres of population. The first major step came with the formation of a new Turnpike Trust in 1725, which led to the improvement of the Great North Road. Then the Ivel Navigation scheme, completed in 1756, allowed water traffic to ply between Tempsford in the north ( from the Ivel's junction with the River Ouse), and Biggleswade and Shefford to the south and west. Finally, in the mid 19th century, came the railways, with the extension of the Great Northern Line through to Peterborough and beyond.

A  route towards Cambridge was originally started with the building of the Sandy to Potton Railway, by

Captain William Peel VC, (another son of Sir Robert Peel, Prime Minister and founder of the modern police force). The first goods trains ran from April 23 1857, followed by a passenger service exactly a year later. Unfortunately, Captain Peel died returning from the relief of Lucknow, in India the same month, and never lived to see the success of his railway. The executors of his estate sold out to the Bedford and Cambridge Railway, which opened in July 1862.