Renewed calls for train station at Glyne Gap to link Hastings and Bexhill

Transport campaigners have renewed their calls for a new station at Glyne Gap.
The proposed site of Glyne Gap station in 2013. ENGSUS00120130409142126The proposed site of Glyne Gap station in 2013. ENGSUS00120130409142126
The proposed site of Glyne Gap station in 2013. ENGSUS00120130409142126

The Campaign for Better Transport, East Sussex, has been calling for one for many years, believing it would alleviate congestion.

Derrick Coffee, from the group, believes a new fund on offer from the Department for Transport could be used to implement the proposals.

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He said: “A new station at Glyne Gap/Ravenside could be kick-started through the New Stations Fund launched by the Department for Transport.

“The £20m fund for up to 75 per cent of the cost for a new station is up for grabs, with a deadline of November 17 for applications.

“The Campaign for Better Transport, East Sussex is appealing to East Sussex County Council to apply for funding.

“The new station would, along with better bus services and infrastructure, lock in the (temporary) congestion relief afforded to Bexhill Road by the link road, take a large proportion of the overwhelmingly short car trips off the roads, reduce the life-threatening hazards of air pollution, and cut emissions of ‘climate change’ gases.”

He also added a new station would reduce car dependency.

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An East Sussex County Council spokesman said: “There have been various studies over the last 16 years to assess the feasibility of opening a new station at Glyne Gap.

“The most recent of these was commissioned in 2012 by Rother District Council, the county council and Land Securities Group Plc, and was carried out in accordance with Network Rail’s standard process for examining the feasibility of rail projects.

“The study considered the possibility of stopping existing trains at a new Glyne Gap station and the potential timetabling issues it might present.

“It found that while a half hourly service stopping at Glyne Gap would be possible for eastbound trains with little impact on the timetable, it would not be possible for westbound trains without major revisions to the timetable and consequent increased journey times on the East coastway line.

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“The study concluded that the cost of a new station outweighed the benefits, and that this project would represent poor value for money.

“Both the train operator and Network Rail agreed with these conclusions, and the context has not changed over the past four years, therefore we won’t be submitting a bid for funding for a new station at Glyne Gap.”

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