Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Eastbourne and Lewes have welcomed the reinstatement of a direct train to London Bridge. The service, suspended during the pandemic, is due to return in December and should make a significant difference to the lives of commuters from East Sussex to London. The restored trains, which will run on Mondays to Thursdays, are anticipated to boost connectivity and will allow residents to travel to the capital for business, work, and leisure.

It will operate in the morning at 06:48 from Eastbourne and reach London Bridge at 08:25. The return service from London Bridge departs at 17:03, arriving in Eastbourne at 18:34. This direct line will be a time saver for people, because they won’t have to transfer as many times to get in or out of the city for work, etc.”

The return of this service has followed a long campaign by local campaigners, including that by Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde, for the reintroduction of the direct rail link. In a statement, Babarinde said he was “thrilled” with the result and described it as “a major victory for our community.” He added that this would be a “good thing” for the town, offering people better access to London and a better outlook for local businesses.

The MP, who led a campaign for the service to be reinstated, said a strong transport network was crucial for economic growth in Eastbourne. It was the first time Eastbourne had ever had a direct service to the capital, and before then, if residents wanted to go to the centre of London, they would have to endure a much longer and less straightforward interchange. The resumption of direct services to London Bridge was hailed by many as a return to better transport facilities that the local community had long been calling for.

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The operator of the service – Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) – said it was aware of the pandemic’s effect on the rail industry and the difficulties associated with reinstating a service. Jenny Saunders, GTR’s Customer Services Director, said: “We have been working tirelessly to persuade passengers back to rail, the most sustainable form of public transport.

Travel restrictions related to coronavirus have affected how services are run, but the South East route already runs virtually all its pre-pandemic services, and GTR’s action on Eastbourne-London Bridge reflects a wider national effort to get the UK’s rail network fully up and running again. As it became more imperative for commuters, both for convenience and the sake of our planet, the company wanted to make sure that people felt safe returning to public transport.” Grenfell Saunders indicated.

The reinstatement of the Eastbourne to London Bridge direct service forms part of GTR’s programme to make rail services better for customers. The expansion of commuter rail is key to reducing congestion and stimulating economic development, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority said in a release. In this example, returning the service emphasises the fact that GTR is equipped to deliver local requirements and that communities remain well connected to London.

For people in Eastbourne and Lewes, the introduction of the new train service is a huge boost to everyday life, offering a direct link to one of the country’s busiest transport interchanges. The opening of the railway will substantially shorten travel times and eliminate the inconvenience of changing trains several times.

Local businesses will also benefit from the reinstatement of the service. Shops, restaurants, and cafes in Eastbourne and Lewes should all benefit from more commuter and visitor footfall, while people living in either town can now more easily hop on a train to London. This will make the town more accessible, which is expected to result in a tourism increase, increasing economic development.

Furthermore, the actual service enhances Eastbourne’s attractiveness as a place to live and work. The opportunity to travel to London without changing trains a number of times and/or long delays is a real plus for those who wish to live in East Sussex -savour the joys of living in East Sussex Notes, while being able to get to the capital for business, studies, or to have fun.

The reintroduction of Eastbourne-London Bridge is part of the UK government’s plans to enhance services on the country’s rail network. At the same time as promoting rail as a cleaner, greener mode of travel, the government is trying to reduce both congestion on the roads and carbon emissions. This complies with the aims for the country as a whole in promoting sustainable transportation choices, together with the greater regional and city connectivity.

The success of the return of this service is also expected to become a model for others elsewhere in the country. By prioritising regional links and better access to public transport, the UK is part of an important movement towards more effective and sustainable transport.

The reintroduction of a direct train from Eastbourne and Lewes to London Bridge is a real buzz not only to residents in my constituency but right across the area. When service begins in December, it will open new doors for both commuters and businesses, as well as the hundreds of thousands of visitors that the new stations are expected to attract. The decision is also an important step in the UK’s recovery from the pandemic, reiterating the importance of a resilient public transport network in delivering economic and social benefits.