John Stanaway (Letters, June 3) stated some rail journey times are no faster now than in 1933.
A glaring example on the Coastway line is the journey time between Bexhill and Lewes, which took about 28 minutes 50 years ago. Today, it takes 41 minutes.
Until the mid-Sixties, fast trains from London and Brighton to Hastings could run direct from Polegate to Pevensey via the virtually straight "Willingdon chord". Today, they have to go via Eastbourne, adding about 13 minutes to every journey.
The Willingdon chord should be reinstated. Doing so would reduce pressure on parking at Polegate caused by commuters driving from Pevensey and Bexhill to save time.
It would also make the new direct service from Brighton to Ashford International much more attractive.
Journey times could be cut from the proposed 99 minutes to 86 minutes, a more competitive time, similar to that by road.
Another good reason for reinstating the Willingdon chord would be the chance to reduce the number of heavy goods vehicles in the area by reinstating the possibility of locomotive hauled freight on Coastway, rendered effectively impossible by the current "missing link".
-Martin A Ross, hon secretary, Railfuture, Coastway Division,
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