Timetable changes have taken place between Brighton and Ashford International and to a lesser extent, between Brighton and Littlehampton. This, alongside more modern trains will help deliver an improved service, delivered with the input of rail user groups to help make services better for passengers, especially during the summer holidays.
Features of the new timetable design include:
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A new off-peak Brighton to Eastbourne service, which together with connections between trains is designed to offer more options for journeys between Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings.
- Clock-face scheduling, where train times repeat each hour, and even intervals between trains to make trains easier to use and timings easier to plan around.
- Journey time improvements for journeys between towns and cities along the coast such as between Brighton and Eastbourne.
- Improvements to Marshlink services with more reliable connections at Ashford International and the introduction of hourly services at Three Oaks and Winchelsea.
- Increased peak time services between Brighton and West Worthing with four, rather than two services per hour, matching Brighton to Lewes frequencies.
There are however some trade-offs involved to make these positive changes for the majority of passengers possible. For example, the Saturday timetable which is unique in currently having two Brighton to Hastings direct services per hour will be replaced by the new set-up for weekdays with one direct and one indirect journey per hour.
Similarly, Brighton to Lewes will change from three services per hour off-peak / five per hour peak, to four per hour at all times. This change has enabled Brighton to Worthing peak frequency to increase from two to four trains per hour.