Briefing note NoM - Uckfield to Lewes Railway

Committee report · Full Council · Tue 13 Oct 2026 · East Sussex County Council · agenda item 9 · the whole meeting

In plain English

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Noted · Received for information; no decision followed.

This briefing note states that the former Uckfield to Lewes railway line closed in 1969. p23

It states that a 2008 study and a 2015 Department for Transport study both concluded that reopening the line was technically feasible but did not provide a strong enough business case based on transport benefits alone. p24 p25

It states that the reopening of the line is designated as a major strategic priority scheme within the East Sussex Local Transport Plan 4 and the East Sussex Rail Strategy Investment Priority Areas, and that the route is protected from prejudicial development by the Wealden and Lewes Local Plans. p29 p31

It concludes that there are no additional actions to take at this point which could strengthen the County Council's position in protecting the disused line from development that would prejudice its future reinstatement, as such policies already exist. p43

Show the 6 passages this is based on

p232. Background information 2.1 The former Uckfield to Lewes railway line closed in 1969. Since its closure there have been periodic proposals and campaigns calling for the line's reinstatement to improve rail connectivity between East Sussex, and the Sussex coast, and London, to increase resilience on the rail network and support sustainable economic growth.
p242.2 Studies undertaken over recent years, including the 2008 Central Rail Corridor Study and the 2015 Department for Transport (DfT) London and South Coast Rail Corridor Study, have included a detailed assessment of reopening the Uckfield to Lewes railway line.
p252.3 Both studies concluded that reopening the line was technically feasible but did not provide a strong enough business case based on transport benefits alone.
p293.3 The reopening of the Uckfield to Lewes railway line is also officially designated as a major strategic priority scheme within the East Sussex Local Transport Plan 4 (LTP4) (adopted October 2024) and the East Sussex Rail Strategy Investment Priority Areas (adopted December 2025).
p31Planning policies 3.5 Both the Wealden and Lewes Local Plans protect the route from development which would prejudice its future reinstatement. The Tunbridge Wells Local Plan also safeguards the extent of the former Tunbridge Wells Central to Eridge railway line to protect the route for potential future transport reinstatement.
p435.4 To conclude, there are no additional actions to take at this point which could strengthen the County Council’s position in respect of protecting the disused Uckfield-Lewes line from development which would prejudice its future reinstatement, as such policies already exist.

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