The Wealden Line.

[8ace]

Snub for proposals to open second rail line from Brighton to London (From The Argus)

PLANS for a second Brighton to London rail route have been dismissed by the government and Network Rail – just months after the announcement of a £100,000 study into re-opening a stretch of railway that forms part of the scheme.

BML2 would see the restoration of rail links between Uckfield and Lewes, providing a direct route from Eastbourne to London via Uckfield.

It would relieve pressure on the Brighton to London line and build a new rail link between Uckfield and Brighton via Falmer.

Campaigners say BML2 would also significantly boost trade and tourism in Brighton and Hove and beyond.

But Network Rail and the Department for Transport both told The Argus they have no intention of pursuing BML2 in the near future – even though Chancellor George Osborne pledged money for a feasibility study into re-opening the Lewes to Uckfield line in March’s budget.

A few days before the General Election, the Chancellor tweeted: “We’ll start a feasibility study into Brighton Main Line 2, speeding up journeys and relieving congestion for the south coast.”

Despite this, the Department for Transport told The Argus yesterday that BML2 was “not a priority” while Network Rail said re-opening the Uckfield to Lewes line for BML2 would provide “slower, unattractive journeys to Brighton and would not serve the major conurbations on the route, at Haywards Heath, Gatwick and Crawley”.

Peter Kyle, Labour MP for Hove, said the study is a complete waste of taxpayers’ money given the new position of the government and Network Rail.

He said: “My issue is that the Chancellor has pledged support for it and he’s not going to make good on it. The truth is the wheels are coming off promises to sort out transport problems. If he turns his back on his promises made before the election then they are just pledges to buy votes. Commuters deserve more.”

The message from government contradicts the intentions of Sussex’s Conservative MPs, the majority of which visited rail minister Claire Perry just weeks ago to press their case for BML2.

The news comes as a blow to thousands of commuters who travel from Sussex to London every day for work – including those who frequent Southern Rail’s 7.29 from Brighton to London Victoria, which The Argus revealed in January was late every day last year.

ML2 advocate Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, said: “It’s disappointing that the Department for Transport doesn’t think BML2 is a priority. It’s got the potential long term to really make a difference to local residents.”

A Network Rail spokesman said: “We have previously recommended that the trackbed of the former Uckfield to Lewes line be safeguarded for the future, and our position on that has not changed.

“The section of the route between East Croydon and Windmill Bridge Junction is the busiest section of railway in Britain and it is vital that we tackle that first.”

 

[8ace]

BML2 was mentioned in the budget today apparently

 

[surrey jim]

BML2 was mentioned in the budget today apparently

Did it get the funding? Can only assume the track layers will start Monday

 

[Norman Potting]

I think Gideon was heard to say "dream on".

 

[Leekbrookgull]

BML2 will go ahead.

 

[8ace]

1.328 The government will extend the scope of the Lewes-Uckfield study to look at improving rail links between London and the south coast, including upgrades to existing routes, consideration of the Brighton Main Line corridor, and re-examination of the DfT’s feasibility study on BML2.

 

[warlingham seagull]

Times says that the Transport secretary yesterday appointed consultants to examine the 'BML2 concept' along with other measures

 

[surrey jim]

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/15056693.Rail_campaigners_meet_Transport_Secretary_today/

Cant copy and paste the text from story Chris Grayling is today meeting the BML2 campaign group. The report into feasibility is complete but as yet unpublished.

Does this mean one step closer to being approved or a load of nothing?

 

[Audax]

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/15056693.Rail_campaigners_meet_Transport_Secretary_today/

Cant copy and paste the text from story Chris Grayling is today meeting the BML2 campaign group. The report into feasibility is complete but as yet unpublished.

Does this mean one step closer to being approved or a load of nothing?

It's Grayling. I'd expect a lot of waffle with no toppings.

 

[Boys 9d]

Two of the stated objections to the idea of a north to east curve near Arundel are the increased journey times via Dorking and the platform capacity at Brighton. The main belief is that everyone travels to and from Brighton. There are many who live to the west of Brighton and travel. The further west the difference in travel time becomes less significant. As regards platform capacity do all trains have to terminate at Brighton? Both Worthing and Hove have three platforms and trains could start and terminate from either. This I believe could lead to less West Coast Line trains using the crowded Main Line.

As regards the Wealden Line entering Lewes from the west, passengers to Eastbourne, Hasting and Seaford could still have a journey from London etc without changing trains. Also bear in mind that the track from Eridge on that line toTunbridge Wells West station area is usable even though at present it is in the hands of a preserved railway. I have read that despite the presence of a large supermarket on the site of the link fopm Tunbridge Well West to TW Central they were only allowed to build on the understanding that if the link was to be rebuilt then they would have to vacate.

Last but by no means least, the route from East Grinstead (Bluebell Railway) to Haywards Heath except for a short section from Horsted Keynes to Ardingly is intact.

Unfortunately the former Shoreham to Horsham line is too built over to be a viable option, which is ironic with the amount of development of the towns and villages on the old route.

Scope for transport improvement or shoot me down in flames ?