Horsham Forum: Developments abound, but where are the new rail links to soak up congestion and pollution?

08-11-2025 Calls for action!

See also our new South East Page: 

https://brtarail.com/southeast/

Development pressures abound across the South East, yet no new local rail infrastructure projects being rolled out by Government and agencies, councils and industry seem to roll-out rhetoric and blusterism, but translates to a lack of rail in all content beyond existing lines, which are busy and reaching capacity. BRTA wants the local network to grow more and reopenings, rebuildings and select new pieces of infrastructure, not roads, is how we retain land and open spaces and underpin development sustainably. Please email your MP and encourage support for our suggestions. Join BRTA/affiliate and help resource our endeavours to enable more, offer to volunteer too, helping us with delivery and ensuring the smooth and consistent operation of our advance for getting more rail and rail solutions. It is time to think big and consider new pieces of rail infrastructure like Polegate avoiding lines, like a direct Tonbridge-Gatwick curve and reinstating a new-build Guildford-Cranleigh-Horsham/Shoreham rail link to relieve the Brighton Main Line and enable more without recourse into London and out again or endless delays trying to get across the South East by rail. Add your voice, your MP's can be found here: 

https://members.parliament.uk/members/commons?sort=1

Here's an example of what we face: 

https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/people/pressure-for-more-housebuilding-in-horsham-condemned-as-relentless-5391161 and 

https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/people/worried-residents-raise-concerns-over-plans-for-1000-new-houses-in-southwater-5390268 It is a time to prepare for a 2026 action to bring development to provide the railways we need, or be halted! People need homes, but also to be free of congestion, blight and pollution. Enquiries welcome: info@brtarail.com

Update 07-11-25

Protect routes and ask councils to work up business cases: re: https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/people/worried-residents-raise-concerns-over-plans-for-1000-new-houses-in-southwater-5390268 Email the County Council and relevant local authority calling for the rail corridor to be protected and a rail link made a top priority between Shoreham and Horsham. Call for a study making the case for the rail link. Email also, the port of Shoreham about what the rail link can offer.

I now attach a copy of the Minutes of our recent Horsham Forum.

•    Horsham-Guildford -  We agreed that there is very high initial capital expenditure for that line.  Much of the old track-bed survives, and quite a portion of it is now the Downs Link; this would already give some protection of the track-bed - we feel that it can be slewed beside the railway being separated by appropriate fencing (including a hedge) to keep out children and trespassers accessing the railway. We also feel that the line should be re-opened following several new housing developments and population growth along the track-bed corridor and at the same time the increased population will increase road traffic which is already horrendous at times along the A281 Guildford - Horsham road. The re-opened railway would provide a direct link between Brighton and Guildford/Reading and potentially beyond.  We should get Councils and MPs on board, target green organisations/groups in Cranleigh, and also Onslow Estates,which will be via the Clandon Estates Office. The estate has a house at Knowle Park in Cranleigh 
•    Horsham-Shoreham - This should be the second phase after Horsham-Guildford. There are local council offices on that line at Southwater, and bricklayer's pits in the vicinity. There must be a commercial case for that line.  We feel that the Christ's Hospital to Shoreham informing a joined-up Guildford-Brighton direct railway which could relieve the Brighton Main Line, offer more journey by rail opportunities and declutter urban areas, rural roads and free up parking capacity through more choice and options. Towns such as Oxford and Heathrow-Brighton via Guildford would draw in significant footfall and spend minus the volumes of traffic places without rail choices suffer be it daily movements or seasonal booms and slumps. The track-bed is again part of the Downs Link. 
•     North Downs Line/Access to Gatwick Airport -  This should be a high priority since housing developments are taking place at Earlswood. There should be direct curves from both the Tonbridge (aka North Downs Line) to Gatwick and a study into a new flyover at Redhill linking Tonbridge and Guildford lines for passenger and freight to and from both Kent and the Channel Tunnel. Furthermore the North Downs Line will also bring capacity to the M25.
•     Arundel Curve - This should be viable and also cheaper than Horsham (Christs Hospital) -Shoreham, and we now have to look at costings. We decided that the curve between the Mid-Sussex Line and Coastway Line would be at Barnham rather than Ford since it is close to HM Prison. Whenever the Brighton Main Line is shut for any reason the increase in rail traffic is significant on the Mid-Sussex Line.
•    Midhurst-Chichester - To prevent road-building. 
•    Chessington South-Epsom/Leatherhead - To prevent road-building. Furthermore there are new housing developments close to Epsom and Leatherhead.
•    Other improvements, such as enabling a direct train from Heathrow to Gatwick.  Longer-term such a line could also link up via High Wycombe to East-West Rail. Overall, we discussed calling this the "R25" (like the motorway but rail). 
•    We also discussed the merits of new stations on existing lines in the Guildford area - Merrow and Park Barn.

BRTA Horsham Forum 

Saturday 25 October 2025 at the Lynd Cross, 1 Springfield Road, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 2PG for 2pm lunch and 3-5pm business

Venue website: https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/the-lynd-cross-horsham/

Venue phone: 01403-272393

Main Convenor for BRTA is Simon Barber: admin@brtarail.com

Phone (landline): 020-8940-4399 Phone (mobile): 07522-374740

All welcome

1.Horsham – Guildford

2.Horsham -  Shoreham

3.North Downs Line

4.Access to Gatwick Airport

5.Arundel Curve 

6.   Petersfield - Midhurst – Chichester

7. Chessington South – Epsom/Leatherhead

Check our new web page for the South East:

https://brtarail.com/southeast/

Join BRTA and offer to help us make project and organisational progress.