Relieve the Brighton Main Line by reopening Guildford-Horsham-Shoreham lines

Guildford's existing bus and rail situation: The town suffers from chronic traffic congestion and that investment in more public transport was necessary to reduce this problem. However, a new bus station is being planned at Guildford which is expected to be close to the railway station.

Guildford-Cranleigh-Horsham re-opening: There are very few blockages on the route; apart from problems at Cranleigh, but only in that the route would need a deviation. Several new housing developments are taking place or could soon take place along the route corridor, including Broadbridge Heath (near Horsham) and some in or around Cranleigh. Consequently, there will be strong pressure to get the railway line re-opened between Guildford and Cranleigh, and in fact the Guildford Councillor who came is pressing for the whole line to be re-opened to Horsham since re-opening to Horsham gave Cranleigh to Gatwick journey opportunities as well as to Shoreham and Brighton. Additional services on new through routes could be done by re-timetabling, using for the main, existing rolling stock. A tram-train link from Dunsfold to a re-opened Cranleigh station could be useful as taking pressure of local car journeys.
Christ's Hospital Station is about 400 metres from the A24 Horsham by-pass and was also the point where the Guildford-Horsham line had forked off the main line from London - Horsham - Bognor Regis/Littlehampton. There consequently seemed to be a strong feeling for a Park-and-Ride at that station.

Gatwick- Redhill -Tonbridge curve: The conclusion was reached that the existing rail service involved a change/reversal at Redhill worked, in that Redhill was an important rail junction and that a rail service that missed out Redhill would require more rolling stock and finding additional train timetable paths on the Brighton main line, already with capacity problems. The journey time savings would not be that significant. However, the curve could produce some possible freight opportunities. North Downs Line: Strong pressure for North Downs Line to be fully electrified (at present only Reading-Wokingham; Guildford-Ash; Reigate-Redhill-Tonbridge).

Ed. A High Speed (HS) Link proposes curve via Gatwick and Heathrow to Tonbridge/Channel Tunnel for their purposes too.
Further enquiries welcome: Mr Simon Barber ERTA 6HT T. 0208 940 4399, E. simon4barber@gmail.com

See our excellent diagrams!

ERTA Produces Great Central Rail Reopening Report – Give it your support!

06 November 2018

Press Release

ERTA produces report calling for partial reopening of the Great Central Main Line Railway

The English Regional Transport Association (ERTA) have produced a report calling for a partial rebuilding of the former Great Central railway from a new chord off the Leicester-Nuneaton line to Rugby and Calvert for links with East-West Rail, Aylesbury/Heathrow and Oxford/Reading and further afield.

ERTA cites the capacity issues existing road and rail have and suggests that the nation would benefit by investing in the rebuild to provide the necessary capacity the railway could offer on a sustainable and environmentally friendly basis.

The report calls for realignments where blockages have been allowed to encroach the old formation such as at places like Brackley and Lutterworth and pulls no punches over the fact this is a rebuild but is also an investment in all our futures. There is a need to act now and protect the remaining formation and deviation corridors to enable a joined up rebuild to be as robust as possible.

The 32-page report is available as a download priced £3.50 from the ERTA Website https://ertarail.com/sales/ or hard copy at £4.90 includes Postage and Packing UK. Make payable to ERTA and send payment to ERTA, 24c St Michael’s Road, Bedford, MK40 2LT. Enquiries Tel. 01234 330090.

End Press Release

Further comment: Mr Richard Pill 01234 330090 or E. richard.erta@gmail.com