West Coastway passenger journeys affected and diversions for motorists as multi-million-pound line upgrade work kicks off

Rail passengers and motorists in West Sussex and Hampshire are reminded to allow extra travel time for their journeys and to check before travelling.

Network Rail will undertake a major upgrade of the lines between Barnham, Chichester and Havant from Saturday 26 October 2019.

The work will involve closing the line and a number of level crossings over nine days from Saturday 26 October to Sunday 3 November 2019, plus two further Sundays in November and one further weekend at the end of November. This will allow 2.3km of new track to be laid and improvement work to be carried out at stations affected by the closure.

Across the two weekends during this period (Saturday 26 to Sunday 27 October and Saturday 2 November to Sunday 3 November), buses will replace trains between Havant and Barnham.

During weekdays from Monday 28 October to Friday 1 November 2019, buses will replace trains between Havant and Chichester.

Buses will generally run as follows:

• Barnham/Chichester to Havant calling at all stations – up to four per hour
• Barnham/Chichester to Havant non-stop or limited stop – two per hour
• Chichester to Fareham calling at Havant only – two per hour on Monday to Friday only

Dan Athol, Programme Director, Network Rail Southern said: “Our extensive passenger information campaign has seen tens of thousands of impacted passengers informed about this important work and their travel options during the line upgrade.

“Passengers should allow extra travel time as journeys will take longer than expected. Level crossing closures will also impact traffic flow in the area, particularly around Chichester. We’re encouraging motorists to follow all diversion signage and allow extra travel time.”

He added: “The half-term closure will see hundreds of dedicated engineers working uninterrupted 24 hours a day, enabling us to get the work done in 9 days, as opposed to 18 separate weekends.

“We’re also taking this opportunity to carry out some station improvements. When passengers catch their regular services again from Monday morning, they will notice a tidier station.”

Throughout the work, there will be no Southern trains west of Havant to Portsmouth or Southampton. Great Western Railway services to/from Brighton will run to/from Portsmouth instead.

Trains to London will still run from Havant (to London Waterloo via South Western Railway) and Bognor Regis (via Southern). During the week days, trains to London will also run from Chichester (via Southern).

Keith Jipps, Infrastructure Director at Southern’s parent company Govia Thameslink Railway, said: “Many of our Southern services will be impacted by the important work. Passengers should take a moment this week to check how their regular services have been affected, and allow for longer journey times.”

Details of the changes to Southern service are linked from the home page of Southern’s web site https://www.southernrailway.com/.

ENDS

Notes for editors:

The stations directly affected by the closure will be: Barnham, Chichester, Fishbourne, Bosham, Nutbourne, Southbourne, Emsworth, Warblington and Havant

There is an impact on 15 level crossings and 2 footpath crossings

A traffic management plan will be in place, and consideration has been given to accessibility for pedestrian level crossing users

Buses will generally run as follows:

• Barnham/Chichester to Havant calling at all stations – up to four per hour
• Barnham/Chichester to Havant non-stop or limited stop – two per hour
• Chichester to Fareham calling at Havant only – two per hour on Monday to Friday only

For detailed bus times, check www.nationalrail.co.uk.