Latest transport plan continues to support Uckfield-Lewes rail link
.jpg "Latest transport plan continues to support Uckfield-Lewes rail link")
East Sussex County Council shows continued support for reinstatement of the Uckfield to Lewes railway line in its newly released draft transport plan.
The council says the line would “significantly improve sustainable access to the major towns in the county and to London” even though the most recent Network Rail study in 2008 concluded that, though technically feasible, there was no economic case for rebuilding the line.
The council's draft plan adds the Government’s major scheme assessment criteria, which were used in coming to that decision, are currently being reviewed to provide greater parity in assessing road and rail schemes.
The plan, which covers the period from 2011 to 2026, also says work undertaken by "a local campaign group" looking at the benefits of a new railway line between Brighton and Uckfield, and beyond, using existing infrastructure where appropriate merits further investigation.
It says: “This will be sought from Network Rail via the London and South East Route Utilisation Strategy process.”
The council also favours lobbying for electrification of the Uckfield-Hurst Green section of the Uckfield line.
Congestion in Uckfield town centre is recognised as a problem and the draft plan says efforts have been made to manage the increasing traffic levels by introducing improvements to the existing traffic signal controlled junctions in the town, particularly at the junctions of Bell Lane and Framfield Road with the High Street.
“However, the highway network is very near capacity, meaning there is little capacity available to accommodate a further increase in traffic.”
The draft plan goes on to say traffic generated by any future housing in and around Uckfield is likely to exacerbate the situation and so an appropriate traffic management solution in the town centre is needed.
The county council, Wealden District Council and Uckfield Town Council are exploring ways to improve traffic flow in Uckfield.
“As the traffic situation in the town centre will continue to deteriorate with further development, financial contributions will be sought to finance the implementation of a suitable scheme, taking into account any future reinstatement of the Uckfield to Lewes railway line,” says the draft plan.
The county aims to focus on improvements and safety of key walking and cycling routes and on improving accessibility to bus stops on key routes in the town, particularly the Brighton-Lewes-Uckfield-Tunbridge Wells service, in and around the town centre and to the hospital.
Uckfield is one of the priority areas for planning and providing infrastructure. Others are Hastings/Bexhill, Eastbourne/south Wealden and Newhaven.
The priority areas are “weighted and prioritised over schemes coming forward from the rest of the county”, says the draft plan.
Consultation is now under way on the plan. It closes on January 4. There is more information on the county council website.
See also:
Uckfield students in charity climb
Proposal for canine hydrotherapy centre at Piltdown Farm
(Added to site Thursday, October 7th, 2010)
