HOPES for a new railway line in Sussex have been revived following the announcement of a new government study.

The Lewes-Uckfield railway link, which closed in 1969, will be the subject of a £100,000 study into its reopening.

It is hoped the move could ease pressure on the Brighton Main Line, which has been plagued by overcrowding and delays.

The news was revealed in Treasury papers yesterday as Chancellor George Osborne made his annual Budget speech to the Commons.

Lewis MP Norman Baker, who has been campaigning for the line to be reopened for 25 years, said: “The Treasury is not in the habit of throwing away money so there’s a good case which we’re going to take forward.

“Everyone recognises the Brighton Main Line is under severe pressure. As soon as one train goes wrong there’s a big backlog, it’s very vulnerable.

“We need something more resilient and an obvious thing would be to reinstate the Lewes-Uckfield line.”

Previous reports into reopening the line have estimated the cost at around £130 million, Mr Baker said.

Uckfield was left at the end of the line and bottom of the pecking order for investment after the line’s closure in 1969 despite protests.

Mr Baker added: “I have been lobbying for the reopening of this line for more than 25 years and the case gets stronger with every passing year. The coalition government, thanks to the Lib Dems, has a good record on rail expansion. Taking Lewes-Uckfield forward would be the icing on the cake.

“Now it is time for everyone, including those who have advocated BML2, to get behind this study and start pulling in the same direction. We have a real chance to get this line re-opened and we need to grasp it with both hands.

“I will be discussing the terms of reference of the study with the transport secretary shortly.”

But Brian Hart, project manager of rival scheme BML2, which would link Brighton, Lewes, Uckfield and Canary Warf, said Mr Baker’s scheme was a “poor alternative”.

He said: “They did a study in 2008 into the Lewes to Uckfield line and I think this one will come to the same conclusions and identify the same problems.

“A new line has to go through Brighton as BML2 proposes, everybody would have to get off at Lewes and get on another train and I think Lewes will be overwhelmed.”