The Wealden Line Campaign is backing Wealden MP Charles Hendry's call for much faster services on the Uckfield line, with its own proposals to speed up trains.
At present, an off-peak journey from Uckfield to London takes 92 minutes, while once the all-day through service to London Bridge begins in 2005 this will be reduced to 80 minutes. However, the campaign believes there is room for even greater improvement and journeys should be cut to nearer 60 minutes.
"Although we can't compare the complex and intensive Southern system to the high-speed lines to the west and north of England, we ought to do better than 1 hour and 20 minutes for a trip of 46 miles" said the campaign's director Brian Hart.
"Of course, the new Turbostar trains will help, but the key is to cut out practically unused stations like Cowden and Hever," said Mr Hart. "Calling at places like these outside the rush hour is a waste of time, and simply encourages people from places like Crowborough and Uckfield to drive over to the Brighton and Hastings lines. We are convinced that fewer stops will mean more passengers for the Uckfield line."
To boost off-peak speeds on the Uckfield line, the campaign is proposing that Eridge, Ashurst, Cowden and Hever should be served by rush-hour trains only. In addition, Uckfield line trains would also miss the Surrey commuter station of Hurst Green, which already has half-hourly electric trains to London. After a stop at Oxted, the Uckfield trains would then run fast to East Croydon and London Bridge.
"Some people may be surprised that we are calling for Eridge to be closed outside the rush hour", said Mr Hart, "but the stop here is really a throwback to the days when you could change for Tunbridge Wells. Sadly, that line has been closed for the last 19 years and there's no point in off-peak trains stopping there any more."
He added that speeding up the trains in this way was something that had been done successfully on the Eastbourne line for many years. "Both Cooksbridge and Plumpton stations are served by rush hour trains only," he said, "despite the fact that Plumpton arguably has better traffic prospects than anywhere between Crowborough and Edenbridge."
"If the new off-peak London trains waste time calling at these minor stations, we will have an absurd situation whereby small villages like Hever actually have a better London service than Newhaven and Seaford. That would make no sense at all, and would only harm the Uckfield line."
The Wealden Line Campaign has now passed its proposals to the train operator, Southern, which is working on the new timetable for the line.
* Notes for editors:
We propose that the standard off peak service pattern for the Uckfield line should involve the following station calls: Uckfield, Buxted, Crowborough, Edenbridge, Oxted, East Croydon, London Bridge.
Our timings are based on the 17.10 London Bridge - Uckfield, which takes 72 minutes to complete its journey, calling at East Croydon, Oxted, Hurst Green, Edenbridge, Eridge and all stations to Uckfield. Assuming that each station stop omitted saves two minutes, we initially arrive at a figure of 68 minutes for a journey involving our suggested stops.
However, this assumes use of 40+ year old 'Thumper' (DEMU) trains. Given the better acceleration of the new Turbostar trains, we estimate that at least five minutes could easily be cut from this to give a total journey time of around 63 minutes.
This would mean
that Crowborough would be less than an hour away from London for
the first time ever.
7 June 2004