How to get to Airbourne after train derailment near Lewes causes major disruption

It comes after a train derailed near Lewes on Thursday afternoon (August 13), seriously injuring two people onboard.

Southern Rail have confirmed the line between Haywards Heath and Lewes will remain closed, meaning trains running between London Victoria and Eastbourne will be suspended in both directions.

A spokesperson for Southern Rail said: “If you are travelling to or from the Eastbourne Airshow, we advise that you travel via Brighton, where we have plenty of services to help you get to and from the event.

“We have also added extra carriages to services on the route where possible, providing more capacity on board for customers.

“There are rail replacement buses running between Lewes and Haywards Heath to serve Cooksbridge and Plumpton, but these will have extremely limited capacity, so unless you are travelling to one of those stations, please use train services via Brighton.

“Trains and stations in the area will be extremely busy, so queueing systems will be in place and our staff will be on hand to help you with your journey.”

Southern Rail have also confirmed that customers who were unable to use their ticket on Thursday can instead use it at no additional cost on Friday.

Rail tickets will be accepted on the route 28 bus which serves Brighton, Falmer, Lewes, Polegate and Eastbourne.

Parking can still be booked for those travelling via car, but it should be noted that some road closures are in place.