Platforms at Sussex railway stations are to be extended because they are too short for new trains.

South Central has 33 stations across the county which are too short for the trains.

Typically, the platforms can only accommodate four carriages of a six-carriage train.

Currently, trains are allowed to stop at the platforms under Health and Safety Executive (HSE) rules as long as passengers are told they must leave the train at carriages by the platforms.

Now UK rail regulator the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), the HSE and train companies are reviewing the safety regulations ready for when new sliding- door trains are brought in by the end of next year.

The SRA said it was likely all short platforms would be extended over a number of years and much of the work could be carried out without disruption to passengers.

SRA spokesman Paul Lathan said: "A lot of the work could be carried out overnight.

"The best effort would be made to make sure there was minimum disruption to passengers."

He said longer platforms would be more convenient.

He said: "Passengers will be more evenly dispersed along the train, rather than having to walk along the train to find their seats."

A spokesman for South Central said: "We welcome the move to improve the service in that way."

Corus Rail, part of the international metal company Corus, has invented a new platform system to ease disruption to passengers during construction.

It involves steel platforms which are installed at the platform in sections, reducing the amount of time needed for construction.

However, the SRA has not yet decided whether these platforms will be used across Sussex.

Earlier this month it emerged the new carriages could be out of action until 2006 because the power is not strong enough to run them but Mr Lathan said the SRA expected them to be running by the first few months of 2005.

Train stations which have platforms too short for the new trains are: Angmering, Crowborough, Durrington, Ford, Goring, Lancing, Portslade, West Worthing, Glynde, Balcombe, Berwick, Cooksbridge, Hampden Park, Plumpton, Moulsecoomb, Amberley, Billinghurst, Christs Hospital near Horsham, Uckfield, Ifield, Littlehaven, Pulborough, Rye, Three Oaks, Winchelsea, Collington, Ockley, Warnham, Normans Bay, Faygate, Ashurst, Buxted and Cowden.