Bexhill Rail Action Group: Campaigning for the East Coastway
Bexhill Rail Action Group (BRAG) is a voluntary group that campaigns for the improvement of rail services and stations on the East Coastway line between Hastings and Eastbourne, and onwards to Brighton, London and Ashford.
The East Coastway and Marshlink lines have long been treated as a Cinderella service. As recently as 2005, the Rail Authorities were planning to axe all through services between Bexhill and London. BRAG successfully campaigned for this decision to be reversed.
Despite the reversal of this decision, and some recent improvements, BRAG believes that the line needs additional investment and service improvement.
We would like to see faster services to London and greater use made of the Marshlink route via Ashford.
We would like to see the re-construction of the Willingdon Chord which would once again allow certain trains to avoid having to travel in and out of Eastbourne, thus saving 20 minutes on a journey to London.
BRAG would also like to see new stations built at Stone Cross, Glyne Gap and St. Leonards West Marina to take the pressure off the local road network.
BRAG would welcome the construction of a light railway system between Eastbourne's Sovereign Harbour development and Pevensey & Westham station. This, coupled with a re-instated Willingdon Chord would enable fast journey times (without the need for any road travel) between this significant housing development and places such as Gatwick, East Croydon and London Victoria.
We meet once a month and new members are always welcome.
