Faster Southampton to Brighton train services via Chichester and Worthing proposed

Transport for the South East (TfSE) has launched a 12-week consultation on its draft Strategic Investment Plan, a culmination of five years work which sets out interventions with a total capital cost of £45 billion over 27 years.

The package of measures would aim to reduce car trips and increase the amount of people choosing public transport or using active travel.

According to the plan: “Network Rail has worked with Local Transport Authorities to develop a package of improvements in the West Coastway Strategic

Study, formerly Connectivity Modular Strategic Study Plan (CMSP) that deliver faster journeys and more capacity between Brighton and Hove and Southampton.”

It goes on to describe how this will support faster inter-urban and long distance journeys between two of the South East’s largest conurbations.

Key benefits of the package include faster journeys between Brighton, Chichester, Portsmouth and Southampton; potentially more frequent longer distance services between these stations; and extra capacity between Worthing and Brighton for shorter journeys.

Overall the plan recognises a need for greater connectivity between our major economic hubs, the international gateways and their markets, a more resilient and reliable transport network that can better manage demand, incidents and extreme weather and the infrastructure that will support the decarbonisation of the transport system.

Keith Glazier, chair of Transport for the South East said: “Our plan is ambitious, but it is achievable. It is an investment plan that for the first time looks at all modes and goes beyond boundaries to consider connectivity across the whole of the South East.

“We are immensely proud of the TfSE partnership and of the work that has gone into developing this bold and ambitious plan. We believe it truly puts the South East and its communities at the centre, connecting people and business, improving access to education, healthcare, jobs and our green spaces.

“Once finalised, this plan will be the blueprint for future investment in strategic transport infrastructure for the next thirty years.”

To have your say visit the consultation website.