Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the electrification of the train line between Uckfield and Hurst Green on passenger service.

A Strategic Outline Business Case was developed by Network Rail in 2021 which considered the potential benefits of electrifying the line between Hurst Green and Uckfield. This assessment concluded that the scheme would have positive impacts on train service performance and reliability, together with wider economic benefits. The scheme was paused by the previous government following Spending Review 2021; no development work has taken place since that point.