Fields could be used as overflow car parks near rural train stations following a doubling of passengers.

Wealden MP Charles Hendry has made a plea to find more land for rail commuters as cars are currently clogging up towns and villages.

A top level meeting has been held between the politician, East Sussex County Council and Southern Rail to discuss the problem.

Mr Hendry has also suggested that empty fields could be used to get parked cars off the roads.

Residents and businesses near railway stations are all suffering from parking problems.

Mr Hendry said since the introduction of new rolling stock and improvements, the number of passengers using the Wealden to Uckfield service had doubled.

Consequently, car parks are overflowing up and down the line.

Mr Hendry said: "We're trying to find a more comprehensive approach to parking at all the stations. There's masses of cars parked around stations in rural villages clogging up the roads.

"We then need to find more space in which to place overflow parking. If there are nearby fields that can be used in a more efficient way they could be considered.

"We'd have to go through the planning process in the proper way but this is a problem that needs to be solved."

At the meeting last week all parties agreed that railway car parks were becoming too full, squeezing commuters' vehicles back onto the roads.

Mr Hendry plans to survey passengers and people who use the station to find out if extra bus services might help reduce the pressure.

But he also admitted that other alternatives to the car parks needed to be found.

At Uckfield, with a small station car park, commuters' cars spill on to residential roads and an industrial estate.

Nearby Buxted, with a much larger car park, has a similar problem as people drive to the village to catch the train.

Mr Hendry said: "We need a better understanding of who is doing this and more effective demarcation to stop people parking in dangerous areas.

"We very much want to hear from people who have land near the railway stations which could be looked at for overflow parking, in Uckfield, Buxted, Crowborough and Eridge.

"The problems are different in each location, and the survey I will be carrying out will help us to understand if more parking or better public transport, or a combination of the two, will help provide the solution."

Duncan Bennett, rail campaigner and deputy mayor of Uckfield, said Mr Hendry should concentrate on re-opening the town's old station car park before looking for alternative sites.

Mr Bennett said: "He's called for people to put forward suggestions for somewhere to park but we have the solution in Uckfield and have been at pains to put that into effect.

"The old station car park has been empty since it was closed in 1992."

Mr Hendry has asked for anyone who knows of suitable land for the car parks to contact himself or the county council.

A spokesman for the council said: "Our main task now will be to review the parking in roads around the stations on this line.

"If this identifies any problems that can be remedied relatively simply, we will look to put in the necessary measures as soon as possible."

Mr Hendry can be contacted on hendryc@parliament.uk.

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