RAILWAY passengers are being advised to plan their trips ahead of essential maintenance work.

Train users who wish to travel on routes between London and the Sussex Coast will be affected as essential maintenance work is carried out in the Coulsdon area.

Essential travel only is advised with railway operators Southern and Thameslink on the Brighton mainline between London and the South Coast until 2 pm on Sunday, August 15.

From 00:01 to 14:00 on Sunday, August 15, train services will be reduced to a single line working in both directions between East Croydon and Earlswood.

As a result, train services will be limited, and are expected to be very busy.

A statement by National Rail said: "Where possible, we advise passengers to travel between London and the Sussex Coast later in the day.

"While this essential work takes place, a limited Southern and Thameslink train service will run in the East Croydon to Gatwick Airport section of the line.

"This means only one train will run every 90 minutes between London and Bright, and this will run to and from London Victoria via East Croydon and Gatwick Airport.

The Argus: Southern RailSouthern Rail

"There will be no rail service between Redhill and East Croydon. Rail replacement buses will run between Redhill and East Croydon, and East Grinstead and Gatwick Airport.

"Trains will run between Redhill and Brighton, Redhill and Ore via Lewes, and Redhill and Portsmouth and Southsea every 60 minutes."

For passengers travelling between London and the Sussex coast, it will be possible to use the every 90 minute train service between London Victoria and Brighton and change trains at Gatwick Airport or Brighton for wider coastal services towards Ore via Lewes or Portsmouth.

For travel between Redhill and the Sussex Coast, trains will run every 60 minutes between Redhill and Ore via Lewes, Redhill and Brighton, and Redhill and Portsmouth and Southsea.

Chris Fowler, Customer Services Director for Southern, said: "Services between London and the South Coast will be extremely limited on the Sunday morning while Network Rail carry out this essential work.

"So we advise customers not to travel before 2pm unless your journey is absolutely necessary.

"If you do have to travel, allow plenty of extra time, and please wear a face-covering in crowded spaces, out of respect for others."

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