Second Brighton Mainline report to be released '˜shortly'

Campaigners been lobbying the Government to re-open the railway line through Uckfield to increase capacity as a way of easing congestion between the coastal city and London.

The BML2 Consortium is proposing 20km of new railway between Falmer, Lewes and Uckfield, 38km of restored rail line between Uckfield and Hever, and 25km of tunnelled railway linking the whole line to Canary Wharf and Stratford International, representing an investment of more than £6 billion in the South East.

The project has been supported by politicians across Sussex.

In Parliament yesterday (Tuesday February 28), Peter Kyle, Labour’s MP for Hove, said: “A week before the election, the Chancellor’s predecessor came to Sussex and pledged support for infrastructure improvements to the rail line between London and Brighton.

“He commissioned ​a £100,000 study that has never been released. When will the Government release the south coast and London main line upgrade programme report?”

Philip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer, replied: “Shortly.”

The Government’s Spring Budget is set to be unveiled next Wednesday (March 8).

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