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Appendix 1, Lead Member for Transport and Environment

Committee report · Lead Member for Transport and Environment · Mon 8 Dec 2025 · East Sussex County Council · agenda item 36

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The East Sussex Rail Strategy replaces the existing East Sussex Rail Development Strategy from November 2013. p4

Six priority areas for investment were identified: accessibility, integration, reliability and resilience, decarbonisation, journey time, and customer experience. p4

Six major strategic priority rail schemes were identified, including High Speed 1 to Hastings, Bexhill and Eastbourne, and faster Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings services. p4p7

Only 5 of the 38 stations in East Sussex (13%) have step-free access from street level to all platforms. p171

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  • p41 Executive Summary The East Sussex Rail Strategy replaces the existing East Sussex Rail Development Strategy which was adopted in November 2013. The ambition for rail in East Sussex is focused on the opportunities for integrating infrastructure and services to improve all aspects of the public transport passenger experience to enable seamless and accessible journeys. The county’s ambitions for rail will require partnership working to achieve its vision and objectives. Accordingly, the strategy recognises the different role and responsibilities across the industry who are collectively responsible for the funding, development and delivery of improvements, and acknowledges the planned establishment of Great British Railways which will bring rail infrastructure and services together into one organisation. Significant evidence gathering, stakeholder engagement and consultation was undertaken to shape the East Sussex Rail Strategy. Six priority areas for investment were identified as part of this process, which are accessibility, integration, reliability and resilience, decarbonisation, journey time, and customer experience. Additionally, six major strategic priority rail schemes have been identified which contribute to addressing our objectives in the East Sussex LTP4 and the evidence outlined in section 2 of the East Sussex Rail strategy. These are, in no particular order: · High Speed 1 to Hastings, Bexhill and Eastbourne – which includes Marshlink electrification and dual tracking or passing loops, (for more and improved connections to Europe via international rail services (once reinstated at Ashford International)
  • p7· Direct rail services between Seaford/Newhaven and London - strengthening direct rail links to Gatwick Airport and for passengers connecting to/from the Newhaven- Dieppe Ferry service. · Brighton - Eastbourne – Hastings: faster services.
  • p171National Rail Enquiries Station Facilities Dataset shows that only 5 of the 38 stations in East Sussex (13%) have step-free access from street level to all platforms, meaning that many passengers require staff assistance to use the railway. This is challenging where stations are unstaffed. Only 12 of the 38 stations in East Sussex (32%) are unstaffed. However, o f those that are staffed, this may only be for a few hours a day. GTR’s Customer Report - covering services operated by Thameslink and Southern in East Sussex and other areas between April to Sept 2023 [2] - states that there was an average of 13,600 Passenger Assistance journeys per month, of which an average of 8,500 were pre-booked. The Covid 19 pandemic and reduced passenger numbers have increased financial challenges for the industry and led to discussions around the closure of ticket offices and reduced staffing levels at used stations. In 2023, the industry consulted on plans to close ticket offices at stations, which would not only impact passengers purchasing tickets, and being able to get advice on the best value ticket for their journey, but also those requiring general passenger assistance, information and feeling safe within the rail station. Following the response to this consultation,

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