What is this blog all about?
Simply put, the South-East of England is one of many areas in which the railway system, planned by the Victorians to mainly move freight, cannot meet all of the demands of the Twenty-First Century. Society has become more mobile, populations of cities, towns and villages have increased and when we wish to travel we face unappetising choices – we use poorly integrated and sometimes unreliable rail and bus services, often waiting for lengthy periods to change from one route to another, or we learn to drive, buy a car, and contribute to congestion and pollution.
My view, formed after discussions with a range of people (including some from the rail industry) is that the highly populated districts of West Kent and East Sussex could do with a new cross-country link, running from Gravesend, Rochester, Chatham and Gillingham to the Sussex Coast at Hastings by way of the major regional centres of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells. The unique geography of Tunbridge Wells and the Medway Towns makes this far more than a pipe dream. For clarity, two sections of new railway would be required, one in the Strood area and the other between Paddock Wood and Tunbridge Wells (running via the large village and district hospital of Pembury and the smaller village of Five Oak Green, so bringing these communities railway stations for the first time). The rest of the route would be via the existing Medway Valley and Hastings railway lines, though both would need some upgrading.
Principles of the scheme include:
Regular services between five of the South-East’s major population centres, so acting as an alternative to those who currently would drive (via the A21/ A26 or M25) or travel in and out of London, paying a premium to do so.
Construction of a new two-platform station at Tunbridge Wells at the level of and immediately adjacent to the existing station (with a link via footbridge) so as to increase capacity through one of the regions’s busiest and most congested railway stations. A subsequent post will demonstrate how this can be achieved without major property demolition or alteration.
Increasing the potential for a more frequent rail service between the poorly-served town of Hastings (a place with significant areas of deprivation) and Tunbridge Wells, with trains going on to Maidstone and North Kent.
A new chord to directly link Medway Valley services to Rochester, Chatham and Gillingham.
New stations at Pembury (between the High Street and Hospital), Five Oak Green and Allington.
No aspect of the scheme should jeopardise any future scheme to reinstate services between Tunbridge Wells (Central) Station and Tunbridge Wells West.
Much of the line to be constructed in tunnels (as necessitated by the topography around Tunbridge Wells and Pembury) but also to limit the disruption which a surface line would create.
Detailed proposals will follow in subsequent posts.
Heart Of Kent Line 