Network Rail to start public consultation to eliminate Croydon bottleneck

Network Rail is set to initiate a public consultation requesting feedback on proposals to remove the Croydon bottleneck.

The public consultation will be held over the next two months.

The Croydon bottleneck often causes delays and disruption to up to 300,000 passengers travelling on the Brighton Main Line and its branches every day.

Compared to the combined load of London Euston and King’s Cross stations, the Croydon area handles 30% more passengers and trains on a daily basis.

If endorsed, the proposal will lead to construction of additional tracks in the area. It will also see construction of platforms at an expanded East Croydon station.

Railway flyovers will replace the current spaghetti junction near the station where lines from the south coast, Sussex and Surrey meet those connecting London Victoria, London Bridge and beyond.

Network Rail noted that the upgrade proposals forms part of its long-term strategy to help rail network continue to support and drive economic growth across the UK, as well as provide reliable, fast and frequent services for the growing number of rail passengers.

Network Rail South East route managing director John Halsall said: “Removing the Croydon bottleneck is the only practical way to provide the step-change in reliability and capacity that passengers and businesses in Sussex so desperately want to see.

“For too long, train performance on the Brighton Main Line has been below the level that commuters and other passengers expect and deserve.

“While a number of factors have contributed to these issues in recent years, the basic layout of our railway through the Croydon area and the bottleneck it creates means reliability won’t ever improve to acceptable levels without significant changes.”

Network Rail has urged the public to take part in the consultation, either online or at its events.