Friday 26 Sep 2014
Passengers to benefit from major investment for Brighton Main Line - but check before you travel this autumn
- Region & Route:
- | Southern
A multi-million pound investment in the one of the country’s busiest rail lines is planned for this autumn, bringing new track, new signalling, better drainage and even a new footbridge.
Work will take place on the Brighton Main Line this Sunday, 28 September and then on four weekends in October and November, with buses replacing trains between Brighton/Lewes and Three Bridges.
An intensive, timetabled bus service for Southern and Thameslink passengers is planned to keep people moving as the vital upgrade takes place.
Network Rail’s route managing director, Dave Ward, said: “We know that people want to travel by train and not a bus, but this railway carries a huge amount of traffic and we have to keep it in top condition so it can continue to run.
“By upgrading the track at two important junctions we will reduce the need for ongoing maintenance, which actually means less disruption for passengers in the long-run, and we’ll also improve the smoothness and reliability of their journeys. Doing our drainage and signalling upgrades at the same time means we are making the best use of the time we have while the line is closed.
“I’d like to thank passengers in advance for bearing with us this autumn as it will mean some changes to their travel plans.”
Southern’s deputy managing director, David Scorey said: “The work will mean that journeys on the Brighton Main Line south of Three Bridges will have to be made partly by bus, but to get a more reliable railway, which is something we and our passengers very much want, the work needs to be done. Making sure that our passengers know what’s going on and how it affects their journeys is so important, which is why we’ve got a detailed communications plan in place with Network Rail.”
The dates of the work are: Sunday, September 28; October 4, 5; October 11, 12; October 18, 19; and November 15, 16. There will be a Bedford-Haywards Heath Thameslink train service on October 18 only, but passengers for Brighton should still change at Three Bridges.
Posters advising of the upcoming disruption are displayed at affected stations, along with leaflets which are available from station ticket offices, or can be downloaded at www.southernrailway.com
Notes to editors
The work
Network Rail and its contractors will be relaying track and points at Hayward’s Heath junction, just south of the station, and Keymer Junction, where the lines from Lewes join the Brighton Main Line. The track in those areas is 40 years old and is the cause of delays and speed restrictions.
Drainage work will be carried out in Hayward’s Heath Tunnel, to improve the reliability of the railway through the tunnel – the site of some serious delays on Tuesday this week.
A new footbridge will also be installed to replace a closed foot crossing near Balcombe.
Meanwhile, signalling engineers will be continuing with a project to install bi-directional signalling – which allows trains to run in either direction on each track – in the Balcombe area, to bring greater flexibility and reliability to the Brighton Main Line.
Contact information
Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41
Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries
Journalists
Network Rail press office - South East route
020 3357 7969
southeastroutecomms@networkrail.co.uk
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