MPs call for Croydon rail scheme to be reviewed

MPs called for East Croydon and Norwood Junction stations to be improved

MPs have made fresh calls to overhaul two south London railway stations as part of a review into the Brighton mainline.

During a parliamentary debate on the Croydon Area Remodelling Scheme (CARS), Labour's Croydon East MP Natasha Irons and Crawley MP Peter Lamb called for the plans to be reviewed after they were delayed - by the pandemic, by changes in passenger behaviour and by funding constraints.

The MPs argued that without changes to East Croydon and Norwood Junction stations, efforts to improve or expand would be severely limited.

Irons said further delays could "hold back economic growth for the coast-to-capital region".

Initially proposed in 2020, CARS was intended to relieve the bottleneck in the Croydon area on the Brighton mainline, a key route between London and the south coast, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Network Rail said the issues were caused by "a lack of capacity" at East Croydon station and "the complex series of junctions" north of Croydon, but argued CARS would deliver a faster, more reliable service with improved connectivity.

Irons told the Commons two new platforms would be added at East Croydon station along with a larger concourse to improve facilities and connections to local transport networks.

She said it would also modernise Norwood Junction station by extending the platforms and add a footbridge with a lift.

Network Rail said there was a bottleneck in the Croydon area

Lamb said many Crawley residents depend on the Brighton mainline for their daily commute, and the service they face is becoming "more cramped and unreliable every year".

She added that without investment, conditions will continue to worsen, "and by 2040, there may not be any space left for passengers at all".

During the debate the two MPs also referred to the expansion of Gatwick Airport and the current Labour government's shift towards greater public ownership of the rail network to support their argument for CARS to be looked at again.

They argued that delaying CARS would hinder growth and impact the regions between London, Crawley and Gatwick.

"If anything, the expansion of Gatwick Airport makes addressing the capacity challenges at East Croydon station even more critical," Irons said.

She told MPs if the project moved forward, it could also help facilitate the development of the "Croydon opportunity area" - earmarked for 14,500 new homes and 10,500 new jobs by 2041.

In response, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Transport, Simon Lightwood, said he regretted that he was unable to comment on individual projects until the spending review has concluded in June.