Temporary changes to weekday off-peak services between Ore / Eastbourne and London Victoria until at least Mid-October 

Route(s) affected

Between Ore / Eastbourne and London Victoria

Description

There is a speed restriction in place between Ore / Eastbourne and London Victoria. There will be some temporary timetable changes, which will remain in place for approximately four weeks.

Customer advice:

To avoid further delays, cancellations or last-minute alterations and to provide customers with greater certainty about the services that will run, there are some temporary timetable changes from today, Monday 14 September, which will remain in place for approximately four weeks.

The changes affect Monday to Friday services and are targeted at off-peak times where possible, with weekend services operating to the normal timetable.

Journey planners have been updated with these changes. Customers are advised to check before travelling.

Southern know many customers rely on these services every day for work, education, appointments and important time with family and friends, and are very sorry for the disruption these changes may cause.

The usual half-hourly service between Ore, Eastbourne and London Victoria will operate in the morning peak, until around 09:00.

Please check your journey before you travel, as services will differ from the normal timetable.

After 09:00:

There will be no direct service between London and Eastbourne / Ore. Instead, services will operate:

• Between Haywards Heath and Eastbourne

• Between Eastbourne and Ore

You will need to change trains at either Haywards Heath or Eastbourne to complete your journey. Please plan ahead and allow additional time.

If you are travelling between London Bridge and St Leonard’s Warrior Square or Hastings, you should use Southeastern services via London Bridge instead, as this will be the quickest option for you, at no additional cost.

You can also use your ticket on alternative Southern services between London Victoria and Haywards Heath.

After 16:00:

The usual two trains per hour service between London Victoria, Eastbourne and Ore will resume from the 16:24 departure from London Victoria.

Planning your journey:

You can see the live departure boards to check the latest timetable information before travelling. Journey times may be longer than usual and some journeys will require additional connections.

You can view a live map of the network. You can also use the Southern app will also help you plan your journey.

Why are temporary timetable changes needed?

The record-breaking hot and dry weather over the summer has affected track conditions in some areas, meaning temporary speed restrictions need to remain in place in some areas. Safety is and will always remain the highest priority.

Because of the speed restrictions, trains need longer to complete their journeys, and operating the normal timetable could lead to delays building throughout the day and increase the risk of short-notice cancellations and alterations.

To provide customers with a more reliable service and greater certainty when planning their journeys, a temporary revised timetable will be in place during the middle of the day, minimising the impact on services during the busier peak periods.

Network Rail has a programme under way to protect the railway from extreme weather and climate change, supported by a £2.6 billion investment in track maintenance and renewals.

Engineers are working hard to lift the speed restrictions on this route as quickly as possible so the full regular service can resume.

Check before you travel:

You can check your journey up to and including Friday 18 September using the National Rail real-time Journey Planner. Please check back at a later date for 19 September and beyond.

Compensation:

You may be entitled to compensation if you experience a delay in completing your journey today. Please keep your train ticket and make a note of your journey, as both will be required to support any claim.