Media centre

Tuesday 16 Jul 2013

Improvements to provide additional capacity and longer platforms at Falmer station

Region & Route:

| Southern

Network Rail is to invest more than £2m to provide additional capacity on the line between Brighton and Lewes and lengthen platforms at Falmer station.

Resignalling work will be carried out which will allow for more trains to safely use the line at any one time, increasing the available capacity on the line.

The announcement will benefit fans of Brighton and Hove Albion Football who will have easier access to platforms as all eight carriages will be in use to get on or off the train, rather than the current seven maximum.

Simon Chapman, Network Rail’s route enhancement manager for Sussex, said: “These improvements will provide extra capacity on the well-used line between Brighton and Lewes and provide passengers using Falmer station with better access between the train and platforms.

“As Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club and the surrounding area continue to grow, the station must evolve too and this work will help to provide a better gateway for fans and passengers who travel there by train.”

Network Rail discussed the improvements when it recently met with Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven.

The current signalling in the area dates back to the 1980s and the investment will improve the infrastructure to help meet the needs of a growing and increasingly in-demand railway.

Work to lengthen the platforms is due to be completed by December 2013 and the resignalling work is due to be completed by spring 2014.