Eastbourne to London Bridge service returns following MP's campaign
The Eastbourne to London Bridge service has returned following a campaign for it to be reintroduced.
It was withdrawn in 2020 following the reduction in usage during the pandemic. It restarted on Monday, December 15, with an official ribbon cutting ceremony, following a campaign from Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde.
He said: "I was delighted to officially reopen the direct service to London Bridge, which departed Eastbourne at 6.47am.
"The return of this direct service follows months of campaigning, including: writing to Network Rail and the Department for Transport to secure their backing, launching a petition in the form of a giant train ticket, signed by hundreds of residents over the summer, speaking in the House of Commons to call on the Government to back the restoration of the service and meeting with the local operator, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), to lobby for its return.
“The service carried more than 200 passengers, including local residents like Gaynor who travel to the City of London for work.
“Many residents had raised concerns about the previous need to change at Haywards Heath, Gatwick Airport, or East Croydon, often onto already overcrowded services, leaving some people standing for much of their journey.
“I want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who supported the campaign and signed my petition, including the Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce and Dave Cooper MBE.
“Finally, a massive thank you to the team at Govia Thameslink Railway, and to all the dedicated station staff, drivers, engineers, and onboard supervisors.”