Lewes to Uckfield Line
Failure on the Brighton Main Line (BML)
If anything goes wrong, whether it be a signal failure or a train breaking down or other issues like somebody on the line or the flooding of Balcombe Tunnel, the whole of the network in the south here comes to a grinding halt.
In addition, we should consider the issue of rail maintenance. Whenever any section of the rail line between Wivesfield and Gatwick has to close for maintenance, there is a rail replacement bus service operating from Lewes. We in Lewes see this all the time. Operating these rail replacement buses must be really expensive. Much of this could be avoided if there was an alternative route to East Croydon from the south coast in this part of Sussex.
The BML is restricted by just having 2 tracks, one up and one down. Capacity from East Sussex could be doubled by restoring just 7 miles of track and reinstalling the second track from Uckfiled to Crowborough.
