With passenger numbers much reduced over the Christmas holiday period Network Rail is taking the opportunity to invest ”3m ($5.9m) in essential upgrade work at Earlswood near Gatwick. The work will affect rail travel to and from the airport. Trains running to Gatwick will be replaced in part by buses from the early hours of Boxing Day until 0400 on 29 December 2006.
Network Rail”s Sussex route director Patrick Hallgate said: ”This investment will deliver significant long-term benefits for passengers travelling between London and Brighton. We have been careful to plan the work when far fewer people are travelling, minimising disruption for passengers. We appreciate that some people will be inconvenienced, but we hope that people will understand how important it is to secure the future of this busy route.”
Network Rail has been working with all relevant train operators, the Highways Agency and BAA to ensure passengers can complete their journeys as easily as possible whilst the work takes place. Figures show that during the Christmas week last year the number of passengers using the Brighton Line was under a third of the weekly average for the period between January and March 2006. Train services do not normally run on Christmas Day and on Boxing Day no services run except the Gatwick Express and a Southern service from London to East Croydon.
Gatwick Express recommends that passengers planning their journey between the 26 and 29 December consult the Gatwick Express website. Likewise with the other rail service providers to the airport.
www.gatwickexpress.co.uk
www.nationalrail.co.uk