RAIL passengers travelling between Eastbourne and London are being warned of major temporary timetable changes which will remove direct off-peak services for around four weeks.
Southern says the revised timetable will come into force tomorrow (Monday, September 14) and will affect weekday services, primarily during the middle of the day.
The changes are being introduced because of temporary speed restrictions following the record-breaking hot and dry weather over the summer, which has affected track conditions.
Morning commuters will largely avoid the disruption, with the usual half-hourly service between Ore, Eastbourne and London Victoria continuing until around 9am.
However, after 9am there will be no direct Southern service between Eastbourne and London.
Instead, trains will operate between Haywards Heath and Eastbourne, with separate services running between Eastbourne and Ore.
Passengers travelling between Eastbourne and London will therefore need to change at Haywards Heath, while passengers making journeys between London and stations towards Hastings may also need additional connections.
The normal two trains per hour service between London Victoria, Eastbourne and Ore will resume later in the day, beginning with the 4.24pm departure from London Victoria.
Southern says weekend services will continue to operate to the normal timetable.
Tickets will also be accepted on alternative Southern services between London Victoria and Haywards Heath.
Southern apologised to passengers, acknowledging that many people rely on the affected services for work, education, appointments and visiting family and friends.
Explaining the changes, the operator said temporary speed restrictions remain necessary on parts of the railway because of track conditions caused by the summer’s exceptionally hot and dry weather.
The restrictions mean trains take longer to complete their journeys. Southern says attempting to operate the normal timetable could result in delays accumulating during the day and increase the likelihood of short-notice cancellations.
The revised timetable has therefore been designed to reduce services during quieter off-peak periods while protecting the busier morning and evening services as far as possible.
Network Rail engineers are working to remove the speed restrictions so the normal timetable can resume. The railway infrastructure operator is also carrying out a wider programme aimed at protecting the network against extreme weather and climate change.
