News archive 2006
22 December: Uckfield's
old station revealed
Last
week Uckfield residents watched contractors clearing years of
undergrowth at the town's long forgotten old station. Swathes
of buddleia and birch trees disappeared into a shredder, while
both railway lines between the old platforms were revealed. Other
work has seen the partial demolition of the Lewes end of the old
up (London) platform, the timber supports of which were recently
wrecked and set on fire by vandals.
In this view, passers-by peer through the fence at the rusty up
and down lines on the western side, while just across the road
a Turbostar is held the buffers on the single line terminus. Sadly,
this gleaming new train must retrace its journey from London,
rather than make the 10 minute trip to Lewes and continue on to
the coast with hundreds of fare-paying passengers aboard.
On seeing the work underway, Campaign Director Brian Hart said
"It is hard to believe that it's now over 15 years since
trains last crossed the road into Uckfield's former station. It
is also incredible that the past 27 years we've seen no less than
21 reports into reopening the Lewes link."
"As this paper mountain grows ever higher, communities across
East Sussex despair as they feel no nearer to achieving this simplest
and most beneficial of re-openings. Compared to Scotland - which is now racing ahead with several major rail
re-openings - we're
still living in the dark ages in England."
Initially, it was believed this clearance work was in response
to calls from Sussex Police and Uckfield Town Council to owners
BRB(R) to tidy up the site to deter local youths from illegally
congregating here. However, speaking to the contractors on Monday,
it now appears that no further clearance is taking place and just
enough has been done to enable a temporary car park to be created
for the nearby pub. We understand that new fences will soon be
erected, while the longer term fate of the site remains unknown.
Commenting on the situation, Mr Hart said: "It's very strange
that the pub has been successful in getting this site into use
as a car park where our campaign, local MPs, Uckfield Town Council
and the Lewes - Uckfield rail consortium have all failed thanks
to ESCC and BRB(R) obstruction; some people might say it's very
strange indeed."
21 December: BBC's World
Tonight features Lewes - Uckfield
Last month BBC Radio 4's
The World Tonight reported on the state of the UK's transport
infrastructure, asking whether investment in railways could help
to solve current congestion problems. The Lewes - Uckfield reopening
project figured prominently in the report -- see the transcript here.
6 December: Campaign responds
to ESCC - again
Following our exchange
of letters earlier this autumn, East Sussex County Council has
returned to the attack, with new letter
from its leader, Peter Jones.
In the letter, he appears
to question our campaign's commitment to the Lewes - Uckfield
reopening and suggests that our Campaign Director Brian Hart ought
to "refresh" his view of history. However, perhaps significantly,
he does not mention the issues that initially caused our concern:
the Uckfield gyratory road and his council's blocking of the Uckfield
station parking plans.
Once again, Mr Hart has responded to the points raised.
1 December: Tunbridge Wells
turnback appeal
The Wealden Line Campaign
has called for Network Rail to build a proper turnback siding
at Tunbridge Wells. The project, planned for the former Grove
Junction - West Station trackbed, looked set to be a key part
of the new Integrated Kent Franchise (IKF), but has since been
downgraded to a couple of signals being installed in Grove Hill
Tunnel immediately south of the busy station. Had it been completed,
it would have allowed trains terminating at Tunbridge Wells to
shunt clear of the main line, significantly reducing the risk
of delays on the Hastings line.
Now with the news of Network
Rail's profit of almost £750m, and its failure to use more
than a tiny fraction of its annual £50m "small schemes"
budget, we believe the company should proceed as originally intended*.
Indeed, preliminary work was carried out as long ago as 2002,
with scrub clearance and drainage work well underway on the disused
route towards Tunbridge Wells West, prior to the laying-in of
electrified track, signalling and points at the former Grove Junction.
However, constraints on
spending saw the plans abandoned in April when Network Rail's
chief executive John Armitt told Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark:
"I am pleased to inform you that we are driving forward an
Enhancement Scheme for 12-car 'turnbacks'", but adding that
it would "not (be) quite in the format," that everyone
had been led to believe.
Campaign Director Brian
Hart criticised this decision last spring, saying: "In reality,
all it means is that 12-car terminating trains will henceforth
block the busy platforms instead of the previous shorter formations.
The whole purpose of the turnback was to allow trains to be moved
out of the way to enable more intensive services to run on the
Charing Cross-Hastings line as part of the IKF".
In the light of Network
Rail's profit announcement, Brian Hart added: "Of course,
there will now be many demands on how this huge sum is spent,
but it must be directed where demand and congestion is greatest.
We have now asked Mr Clark to seek a renewed commitment from Network
Rail and get this important project back on the rails."
* In its latest quarterly report,
the Office
of Rail Regulation noted that of last
year's "small schemes" budget of £50m, Network
Rail had only spent £4m, and could only identify 5 out of
171 projects originally identified where work had actually begun.
Web tip!
If you haven't seen it
already, why not take a look at Nick Catford's excellent excellent
Disused Stations website? It covers a growing list of former stations
across the country, with many rare and interesting photos.
Among the locations featured
are stations on the Lewes - Uckfield and Eridge - Tunbridge Wells
lines, along with some exisiting stations on the Uckfield line.
Altogether, it makes for sad but strangely compulsive surfing
-- and provides a useful reminder of the important links we must
restore in East Sussex!
18 November: Campaign rebuts
council attack
Clearly angered by the
Wealden Line Campaign's disclosure of his department's plans for
a gyratory road scheme in Uckfield, East Sussex County Council's
Transport and Environment director, Bob Wilkins, has written to
local councils putting his side of the argument.
We have now responded to the points he has raised, and invite visitors
to this website to judge matters for themselves, particularly
noting the contradictions between what MPs and councillors have
been saying on the one hand -- and ESCC officials have been saying
on the other.
As a campaign we very much
regret that we find ourselves opposed to local council officials
in this way, but we believe the issues at stake are of such importance
to the future of the Lewes - Uckfield rail project that we cannot
remain silent.
4 November: Wealden MP
addresses record AGM
Record numbers of members
attended our AGM in Lewes today, where guest speaker Wealden MP
Charles Hendry reaffirmed his backing for the campaign.
More than 80 people came
to hear the shadow Minister for Energy, Science and Technology's
keynote speech, in which he stressed the need to provide an alternative
to the area's congested roads at a time when the governmnent was
forcing thousands of new houses on the South East.
Mr Hendry also voiced his
frustration at the lack of progress on plans to reopen the old
station site at Uckfield as a railway car park. Noting the vastly
increased usage of Southern's new trains, he said it was an "absurd
situation" that nothing had been done to ease worsening parking
problems around the station.
Although Lewes MP Norman
Baker was not able to attend owing to a previous engagement, he
issued a statement congratulating the Wealden Line Campaign on
its work over the years, in which he gave a very positive assessment
of the Lewes - Uckfield reopening project. He also stressed the
role that rail travel could play in protecting the environment.
In his annual report, Campaign
Director Brian Hart was critical of governement at all levels,
which preached to the public on 'greener' modes of transport yet
still refused to acknowledge a scheme that could unlock so much
potential.
The reopening of the seven
mile link between Lewes and Uckfield would create an important
railway line between the Sussex Coast and London, benefitting
the overwhelming majority of people in the region. At a cost of
£50m, it was a bargain, particularly when compared to equivalent
road schemes, such as the 3.5 mile Hastings-Bexhill link road
costing £52m.
He also criticized East
Sussex County Council highways officers for pursuing ruinous road
schemes in Uckfield and warned that they would not be allowed
to repeat what they did in Lewes in 1969, when their Phoenix Causeway
severed the railway. He went on to warmly congratulate the Sussex
Express for its campaign against the Uckfield gyratory road, which
had been roundly condemned by the town's residents.
By coincidence, 4 November
was the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the original
Uckfield and Lewes railway company, and to close the meeting there
was a unanimous vote for a special motion to mark the occasion.
20 October: Opposition
to gyratory road grows
Lewes Town Council has
announced that it will vigorously oppose any development which
could hinder the Uckfield lines reconnection with the county town.
Expressing its "deep concern" at the threat posed by
East Sussex County Council's (ESCC) gyratory road scheme in neighbouring
Uckfield, councillors agreed that it was in everyone's interest
to see the railway re-opened, adding that, "it can only be
of enormous benefit".
Other councils up and down
the line are expected to make their disapproval of the road known
to ESCC's highways department, whose head of strategic network
services, Peter Hayward, is demanding that developers meet half
the cost of the £8m gyratory road scheme. This would be
paid for by a 'roof tax' of £20,000 on each of the 200 homes
currently proposed for Uckfield.
20 October: Private sector
backing for Lewes - Uckfield
Recent reports in the Times,
as well as the provincial press, comment upon interest apparently
being shown by the Department for Transport to enable the private
sector to fund certain strategic rail schemes across the UK.
Lewes-Uckfield is among
the prime contenders, the 'Stage 1 Report' having already been
completed and presented by Bride Parks. Now, along with another
company, Kilmartin, it intends to develop the project further,
seeking final approval from the Rail Project Board, comprising
local MPs and councillors, in the New Year.
Using the 'roof tax' method
on new homes, it is suggested that just £10,000 from each
one should go towards re-opening the railway, as a practical way
to reduce its environmental impact. With thousands of new homes
for East Sussex already in the pipeline, just 4,000 units
could generate sufficient capital to reopen the 'missing link'.
These would not only be built around Lewes and Uckfield, but would
be spread among towns along the whole 40 mile-long rail corridor
between Oxted and Seaford.
Campaign Director Brian
Hart said: We have to bear in mind a number of factors. Wages
in East Sussex are relatively low and there are few well-paid
local jobs, so most people buying the homes will likely work in
London. There simply isn't room for more commuters on the Brighton
Line, which is already over-stretched."
"Towns like Newhaven
are desperate for economic regeneration and new direct rail services
to London are only possible via Uckfield. Its a heaven-sent opportunity
provided our leaders in East Sussex possess the vision. We could
never build a road system capable of accommodating all this extra
traffic certainly not for this cost, nor could it ever be environmentally
acceptable.
While ESCC is very fond
of talking about green alternatives this never becomes a reality,
while every year we see more cars on our roads and congestion
grow. Quite apart from worrying concerns over exhaust emissions
and environmental damage, such traffic spoils everyones quality
of life, particularly in our larger towns. Nor should we forget
the dozens of people killed on Sussex roads each year. Ironically,
ESCCs latest Transport Plan says We can't go on like this. Building
more and more roads will never be the answer.
Re-introducing rail services
across East Sussex - including the useful Tunbridge Wells connection
- really is the most important challenge facing this region. After
years of talking, it's time for some action."
29 September: Sussex Express
joins gyratory fight
The Sussex Express has
joined the fight against East Sussex County Council's gyratory
road scheme for Uckfield. Under a banner headline "Stop this
Madness" in today's edition, the paper's editor, Paul Watson,
said that it would campaign with residents of Uckfield and the
surrounding villages to fight the scheme.
The Sussex Express is now
gathering protests against the new road -- misleadingly branded
a "travel plan" by officials -- which it will forward
to the council. You can voice your concerns about the scheme by
e-mailing the paper. Please remember to include
your name and address, because the council will discount anonymous
comments.
23 September: County council
backs Uckfield gyratory road
East Sussex County Council
(ESCC) has publicly backed the idea of a Newhaven-style gyratory
road for Uckfield by 2016. The multi-million pound road scheme
will cut across the town's former station site at ground level,
effectively killing plans for the revival of the town's rail link
to Lewes, demolishing the Cock and Bull pub and isolating part
of the shopping centre within a new giant roundabout. It will
also put paid to Uckfield Town Council's plan to create new rail
parking spaces for commuters.
The plans are outlined
in the council's latest
transport strategy document,
which pays lip service to better rail services, but is almost
entirely devoted to major road schemes across the county. The
Wealden Line Campaign was not surprised to learn of the council's
ideas, as the council has repeatedly blocked plans for the old
station site that included a revived train service to Lewes and
better rail car parking.
"The council's attitude
just didn't make sense," said Wealden Line Campaign Director
Brian Hart. "So we always knew there must be some ulterior
motive for the way that it just kept on blocking any rail development
on the old station site. At least the cat's out of the bag now,
and local people will finally have a chance to make their own
minds up."
"It seems ironic that
council planners are still thinking in terms of new roads and
more traffic, when almost everyone agrees that we have to look
for alternatives to car travel," he added. "It's as
if County Hall is living in a 1960s time warp, where everything
can be solved by a new gyratory system or motorway."
"While ESCC likes
to promise better rail services," said Mr Hart, "it's
the road schemes that actually get built. Of the three
minor new stations that constitute the rail element of this document,
two have been talked about for the last 20 years at least, with
nothing being achieved - and no realistic prospect that anything
ever will be achieved."
The latest developments
give a grim irony to ESCC's earlier talk of giving an "amber
light" to the Lewes - Uckfield link, because as everyone
knows, the next signal after an "amber" is red.
9 September: Rail link
gets "amber light"
The group of councillors,
MPs and local government officials looking at whether the Lewes
- Uckfield link should be restored has given what it calls an
"amber light" to the project. Wealden MP, Charles Hendry
has written to the campaign welcoming this "unanimous"
decision. He explained: "Whilst there are certainly formidable
challenges to be overcome, please be assured on my continuing
commitment that the rail link should be given every opportunity
to demonstrate its case and viability"
Earlier this year, the
private Wealdenway Consortium invited contributions of £100,000
- £150,000 to enable the next phase to proceed, among which
would be a detailed engineering assessment by rail contractors.
Local councils duly responded by pledging £125,000 between
them. However, it has now been decided that this work should go
out to competitive tendering, and it remains to be seen who will
be commissioned and, more importantly, who will set out the specification.
This has raised concerns
within the Wealden Line Campaign, which suspected this might happen.
The Campaign's Director, Brian Hart, said: "Much depends
upon who is in control. It really is now up to the MPs and councillors
who have, over very many years, spoken in such support of the
line re-opening, to represent the overwhelming body of opinion
among their constituents. They must exert their influence and
see that this next step proceeds on a fair basis."
We accept that proper account
must be taken of those who oppose reopening, as well as the difficulties
faced by the county highways department in accommodating a reopened
rail link. Nevertheless, we believe that a proper balance needs
to be struck, especially in view of the enormous benefits that
would accrue from the restoration of rail services to the south
coast.
"We are constantly
being lectured about climate change, pollution and the need for
alternatives to the car" added Brian Hart, "This re-opening
is long overdue, especially given the massive growth we are experiencing.
If East Sussex can't achieve this, then it must hang its head
in shame."
30 July: Good weather for
Uckfield - Lewes walk
Members and friends of
the Wealden Line Campaign enjoyed some excellent summer weather
for their annual walk between the two towns on Saturday 29 July,
which brought together 32 walkers of all ages. Starting at Uckfield
railway station at 10.30 and finishing at Lewes at 5pm, the guided
walk took participants through some very attractive Sussex countryside,
as well as making a serious political point.
The 10-mile walk is a regular event for the Campaign, now entering
its 21st year of existence. Campaign Director, Brian Hart, said
that the day out gave everyone the chance to see the mothballed
trackbed, as well as the enjoyment of a free ride on the preserved
Lavender Line's trains at Isfield.
Mr Hart stressed that the day was "a little light relief"
from the usual seriousness of the campaign, but remained adamant
that trains would again run to Lewes. "Since the introduction
of the fabulous new air-conditioned trains, the Uckfield line
has proved a roaring success. New people moving into the area
ask why on earth they cannot get a train to popular coastal destinations
such as Brighton and Eastbourne".
He added: "The cost of re-opening the 7-miles of line is
put at £50m - about the cost of a bypass - and would bring
tremendous benefits to East Sussex. The trains would be packed-out."
Numerous councils along the line have recently agreed to jointly-fund
a detailed £150,000 civil engineering exercise to be carried
out by rail construction companies Bride Parks Merlin and Norwest
Holst.
5 July: Uckfield - Lewes
walk set for Saturday 29 July
This year's annual walk
over the route of the railway will be setting off from Uckfield
railway station at 10.25, so that the 10.21 arrival from London
Bridge will make a good 'connection' for those coming by train.
Bus travellers from the Lewes direction should catch the 09.52
from Lewes bus station.
Once out of Uckfield, we
will follow public footpaths into the Sussex countryside via Little
Horsted, arriving at Isfield Station on the preserved Lavender
Line around 12.00. Here, there'll be time to have lunch at the
railway buffet and also to take a ride on the only piece of the
route currently in use.
Restarting at 14.00, we
will follow footpaths parallel to the railway until Anchor Lane
crossing, where we will walk directly along the trackbed to Barcombe
Mills station. A footpath from here will take us towards Hamsey,
where the restored rail link is to join the main London-Eastbourne
route. From here, it is a short walk along the banks of the Ouse
into Lewes, where we expect to arrive between 16.30 an 17.00.
Health & Safety: Please note that while every effort
is made to conduct the walk safely and with due care and attention,
ALL walkers are reminded that the Wealden Line Campaign cannot
be held responsible for the personal safety of individuals. All
participants are expected to look after themselves and their personal
property on the strict understanding that they join this walk
entirely at their own risk.
Caution: The Uckfield Line Community Rail Partnership has
also organised a walk this year from Buxted station, unfortunately
choosing exactly the same day as ours. They will be meeting precisely
the same train in the morning, so if you are coming on the Lewes
walk, be sure to stay on board until Uckfield!
29 March: Lewes - Uckfield
scheme moves ahead
The Lewes - Uckfield reopening
scheme has taken another step forward. Following a meeting of
the Lewes - Uckfield Rail Board on 24 March, East Sussex County
Council has given given approval for stage two of the feasibility
study into the rail reopening.
At the same time transport
consultancy Intermodality, which has been responsible for initial project
studies, will shortly be publishing an "executive summary"
of the scheme. In addition to outlining the benefits of the rail
revival to local people and wider communities across the South
East, it will also contain photomontages demonstrating its low environmental impact.
16 March: Upgrade for Uckfield?
Uckfield residents and
rail users were puzzled this week when a large sign went up at
the station which read "Development Potential". Some
people even feared that plans were afoot to close what has become
an increasingly successful route since new trains entered service
in 2004.
For once, however, such
concerns are groundless; the sign is a merely an invitation to
local businesses to go into partnership with train operator Southern
to redevelop the station with a retail element. These commercial
partnerships have already been successful at other locations on
the Southern network, notably at Cooden Beach, where a Costcutter
supermarket has revitalised a neglected station.
While nothing has yet been
decided, it is possible that a commercial partnership for the
station could offer improved passenger facilities including toilets,
which may be available to the wider community. However, it seems
likely that development plans for the site will reduce the amount
of car parking currently available, thus making a revived car
park on the old station site all the more essential.
12 March: Wealden Line
to save Gatwick Express?
Wealden MP Charles Hendry
has made the case for a restored Wealden Line to save the threatened
Gatwick Express service.
He reaffirmed his support
for the project when, along with three other local MPs, he met
transport minister Derek Twigg on 7 March to argue for the continuance
of this dedicated fast service between Gatwick and London.
The Gatwick Express is
under threat because of congestion on the Brighton Line, which
the Wealden MP rightly believes could be reduced by restoring
the Lewes - Uckfield link, and creating an additional link between
London and the Sussex Coast.
Pursuing this theme, Mr
Hendry called for government funding to support the continuing
feasibility study into reopening this section of line, which was
closed in 1969. To further stress the importance of making progress
with this scheme, he is now also writing to the minister.
Noting the potential of
a revived Wealden Line, he added: "After all, it is the government
which is determined to impose so many new homes on the south-east,
so it should be willing to support the infrastructure investment
to support more people living here."Uckfield is to gain a
new 60-space rail car park on the town's former station site.
The surprise decision to go ahead with the plans came at a special
meeting held in Uckfield on 23 November, which brought together
BRBR, Wealden MP Charles Hendry, local authorities and other interested
parties.
Progress to re-open the
old station site looks set to be rapid, with a further meeting
being planned before Christmas to agree final details of the scheme.
Once open, the car park will be run by Uckfield Town Council;
it seems likely that parking charges will be in line with nearby
Uckfield line stations.
Although BRBR still intends
to the sell the site in the longer term, the organisation has
undertaken not to do so until planning permission for an alternative
use has been granted. Besides avoiding a situation whereby the
car park might be closed and the site then left vacant, BRBR's
undertaking will provide a valuable breathing space for the Central
Corridor Rail Board, which is currently evaluating proposals to
restore the Rail link between Lewes and Uckfield.