THREE WEEKS TO GO: Buses replace trains between Guildford and Reigate for two weeks in September: Burrows Lane Crossing cropped

Friday 22 Aug 2025

THREE WEEKS TO GO: Buses replace trains between Guildford and Reigate for two weeks in September

Region & Route:
Southern: Wessex

Network Rail are advising passengers travelling between Guildford and Reigate that buses will replace trains for two weeks between Sunday 14 September and Saturday 27 September for critical signalling and level crossing upgrades.

Network Rail engineers will install and commission 16 new signals between Shalford and Gomshall to improve reliability and safety, supporting future service increases between Guildford and Gatwick Airport. Passengers can still use the Brighton Main Line to access Gatwick Airport as normal.

During the closure, four level crossings, Chilworth, Tangley, Brook, and Burrows Lane, will be upgraded.

Brook and Burrows Lane will get advanced technology with radars to detect vehicles, while Chilworth and Tangley will add CCTV for safer barrier operation. All four crossings will have new signalling connected to the Guildford Area Signalling Centre.

Changes to passenger services

Services from Guildford to Gatwick Airport will be replaced by bus replacement services between Sunday 14 and Saturday 27 September.

Road closures

Brook, Burrows Lane, and Chilworth level crossings will be closed from just after midnight on Sunday 14 September until 6am on Sunday 28 September. Tangley crossing will be shut from 23:00 on Saturday 13 September until 06:00 on Monday 15 September.

From 15 September to 25 September, Tangley crossing will have daytime traffic management and full road closures nightly from 10pm to 6am.

Mark Goodall, Network Rail’s Wessex route director, said: “We are advising passengers who use the North Downs Line between Guildford, Reigate and Gatwick Airport to please note the dates of this upcoming closure. I want to reassure passengers travelling to the airport from London that you can still take services from Victoria and London Bridge.

“Upgrading the signalling is critical to ensuring we’re providing a safe and reliable railway and will also increase capacity and allow for additional services to run in future, allowing more passengers across Surrey to connect with Gatwick Airport.”

“We know that there is never a good time to close the railway or level crossings and recognise this may be disruptive to rail passengers, motorists and pedestrians alike.

“We’d like to apologise in advance and thank anyone effected for their patience and understanding while we complete these important upgrades.”

GWR Station Manager for the North Downs Line Andy Gallaugher said: “We would like to thank customers in advance for their patience while Network Rail carry out this vital work; but please do check before you travel, especially if you are a regular to the line.

“As well as helping to ensure the line is more reliable for all who use it, this investment in the railway also continues on the path towards achieving our long-held aspiration to provide additional services between Reading and Gatwick Airport.”

Further information about the work taking place can be found on our frequently updated webpage: North Downs Line signalling upgrade - Network Rail

Contact information

Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41

Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries

Journalists
Tom Moore
Communications Manager
Network Rail
07354531500
Thomas.Moore@networkrail.co.uk

About Network Rail

We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.

Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.

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