Rail Improvements for the South East (30 year plan)

Within the Transport for the South East’s Strategic Investment Plan there are many proposed improvements to the rail network within Sussex. These improvements are:

West Coastway Line

  • A Strategic Study of the line to further identify solutions such as removal of level crossings, station improvements & faster line speeds.
  • West Worthing Level Crossing Removal

East Coastway Line / Marshlink Line

  • Faster
  • Newhaven Port Capacity and Rail Freight Upgrades
  • High Speed 1 / Marsh Link – Hasting, Bexhill and Eastbourne Upgrade

Brighton Main Line

  • 100mph running – Currently only parts are 100mph, this high speed would be introduced throughout the line wherever possible
  • Brighton Station – Additional Platform
  • Reinstate Cross Country Service

Arun Valley Line

  • Faster Services
  • New Station to the North East of Horsham

Wealden Line

  • Hurst Green to Uckfield Electrification
  • Uckfield to Lewes Wealden Line Reopening
  • Reconfiguring at Lewes to support reopened Wealden Line

Spa Valley Line

  • Reopen as modern railway between Eridge & Tunbridge Wells West (current heritage railway)
  • Reopen Line between Tunbridge Wells West & Tunbridge Wells

Improvements which were not taken forward

In the options document there are many options which were not taken forward to the investment strategy, this is usually the case if the economically hard to justify, do not align to policies or have detrimental social or environmental impacts.

West Coastway Line

  • Quad tracking the route
  • New station at Hottington

East Coastway Line / Marshlink Line

  • Willingdon Chord
  • Arundel Chord

Brighton Main Line

  • Keymer Junction/Wivlesfield
  • Thameslink Timetable (Rationalize or Extend)

Reinstating railways

  • Horsham (Christ’s Hospital)- Shoreham
  • Guildford – Horsham (Christ’s Hospital)
  • Eridge – Polegate (Whole Line)
  • Hailsham – Polegate (Partial)
  • East Grinstead – Balcombe (think its meant to say Ardingly – along the current Bluebell Railway)
  • East Grinstead – Crawley (This actually passed the assessment stage, but doesn’t appear in the investment plan)
  • East Grinstead – Groombridge
  • Pulborough – Chichester
  • Midhurst – Petersfield
  • Brighton – Devils Dyke

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