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Sussex MEP and Leader of the Green Party, Dr. Caroline Lucas, arrived at Lewes station today for a lunchtime meeting with the Campaign’s Director and Lewes Councillor Susan Murray and County Council candidate Matthew Kent. In a press release issued early this morning Caroline told the regional media: “People should be able to visit their neighbouring towns easily without having to get into their cars every time. Our communities need good public transport links. It would clearly be both practical and sensible to restore this stretch of line. Not only would it provide a valuable addition to the existing part of the network, but it would also provide a much needed alternative for the over-stretched Brighton line.” 
MEP Dr Caroline Lucas at Lewes station today with Cllr Susan Murray and Matthew Kent. The project was discussed at some length during the time spent at Lewes station. Brian Hart mentioned the commendable rail reopening projects taking place in Scotland and Wales for which hundreds of millions of pounds had been found, yet £115m for the Sussex project was deemed unaffordable. “In the busiest, most congested corner of the UK, which is crying out for additional route capacity, not a mile of track has been laid in Sussex. And while we’re told it’s entirely feasible, there apparently isn’t a business case for new rail links – only more road building”. He also expressed his frustration that while more trains and track space are desperately needed as the railways increase in popularity, the government seems fixated over financing the production of new cars which have no buyers. The release last week of the latest housing figures scheduled in the South East Plan was also mentioned. Brian drew attention to the fact that 7,000 dwellings in Wealden (coastal); 4,000 in Wealden (inland) and 1,000 in Lewes will put a ‘breaking point’ strain on the Brighton Main Line. “Peak hour services are already overstretched – no one seems to have thought this through”. He also expressed his surprise upon reading the following in the SE Plan: ‘The town of Uckfield will continue to play an important role as a small market town in supporting its wider hinterland. Given its accessibility by rail and road and its potential to address constraints, it is expected that the town will help meet wider housing needs through provision of new housing’. He said: “It beggars belief that they can say ‘its accessibility by rail’. Today, Uckfield is only the terminus of a 46-mile branch from London with short severed network connections to nearby major towns and the coast. Network Rail should at least be warmly praised for its honesty in saying recently that rail journeys between West Kent and the relatively close Sussex Coast are ‘poor’, but I can only conclude that these regional planners should look at a map more often.” Before boarding her onward train to Brighton, Caroline said she wished to “Pay tribute to such a fantastic campaign” which she stressed “the Green Party completely supports”. She also told Brian “Reopening makes such economical and environmental sense” adding forcefully “It’s a scandal that there is no political will to reopen it since it is such an obvious case.” At the forthcoming general election, which has to take place within the next 12 months, Dr. Lucas will be standing for the parliamentary seat of Brighton Pavilion. “If elected, I will do all I can to reopen the Wealden Line” she said, stepping into the air-conditioned Electrostar which whisked her speedily and comfortably to the city in under 15 minutes.
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