Guildford-Horsham-Shoreham Rail Reopening Group ~ Part of ERTA

Horsham Public Meeting – 
Reopen the Guildford-Horsham-Shoreham Railway for local benefit.

The meeting is open to all and is to be known as 
‘Guildford-Horsham-Shoreham Rail Re-opening Group’ 
Please give support and help build the consensus for the rebuild of the local, conventional rail link to serve and link communities together for the benefit of all, cutting congestion, freeing up parking spaces, bringing footfall and spend to areas.

Day/Date: Saturday 7^th September, 

Time: 2pm-4pm

Place: Horsham Unitarian Church, Worthing Rd, Horsham RH12 1S

(adjacent to local bus station with regular buses with the local railway station)

Purpose:

Ø    To bring people together

Ø    To grow support and recruit members to ERTA for wider good

Ø    To allocate roles and responsibility for covering the various facets the project presents

Ø    To appoint volunteers as helpers to act as local coordinators to ensure the smooth, principled and consistent goals are adhered to.

A mini outline report may be produced in due course as a sales/introductory tool. Clearly any volunteers or contributors welcome to entertain.

https://ertarail.com/events/ or T. 0208 940 4399

On Saturday 22nd June 2019 some 12 people came together at the local Wetherspoons in Horsham to discuss the prospect of rebuilding a Guildford-Horsham-Shoreham Rail Link. Whilst many have varying views and ideas of preference, the ERTA line is and must be to plum for a conventional railway rebuild with deviations where blockages exist such as Cranleigh for example. The process requires on the one hand a dedicated trackbed watch and orchestration to protect the route with access at both ends to existing lines and lands to ensure deviation where blockages may exist are kept clear. The rail link could offer the following (by no means exhaustive list!): Ø    A quick and handy local connection between two large and developing towns and intermediate expanding populations. Ø    Local commuting for work, school, shopping and wide travel by rail Ø    It would relieve the Brighton main line and free up capacity/reduce overcrowding.

Ø    A fast, flexible choice to car reliance and contributor to free up parking spaces for others, reduce congestion and associated air pollution Ø    Horsham – Shoreham ‘South Downs’ Link giving direct access from points north, east and west of Guildford to Brighton et al and vice versa Ø    Access between Reading/Guildford and Horsham/Crawley and approach Gatwick from the south Ø    Access for the Horsham and connections lines to Guildford and Heathrow for example, with or without an extra runway! Our basic aims are: Ø    Build local support and consensus that the rebuild is a good thing and grow support for it to be done sooner than later. Ø    Appoint Local Area Reps. To cover both the Guildford and Horsham ends of the line and interim (ideally someone for Cranleigh or group) who attend the various Forums and meetings and liaise with ERTA core team. Ø    Get local MP’s and Councils on board to form consortia and pool resources/apply with other agencies for study funds to tick all required boxes!