COMMUTERS are set for travel chaos after plans for a nine-day closure of the Brighton Main Line.

The closure, set to take place in February next year, will see engineers build an £11 million junction renewal near Haywards Heath, as well as a new underpass at Hassocks.

The work will see train services between Three Bridges, Brighton and Lewes suspended from February 19 to February 27, with supporting weekend work also taking place before and after the main closure.

Chris Fowler, customer services director for Southern, has moved to reassure commuters saying the company will ensure alternative transport is in place when the lines are closed.

He said: "Journeys will take considerably longer during the nine-day and weekend closures, and we thank customers in advance for their patience."

The work will see 1,000 metres of track replaced and aims to deliver long-term reliability improvements for passengers who use the line.

Sussex route director of Network Rail Katie Frost said: "I really appreciate the patience of our passengers as I know it feels like we're constantly working on the railway, but by concentrating work into week or two-week blocks like this, we're able to get more work done and reduce the number of weekends we'd have to close the railway.

"The alternative would have been up to 20 weekend closures or multiple bank holiday closures over two years, which would be unacceptable to our neighbours, passengers and stakeholders."

The announcement comes after a fortnight's closure of the line between Brighton and Hove, which was completed on time last Friday.

The Brighton Main Line is Sussex's major railway artery, used by hundreds of trains a day travelling to destinations across the south of England.

Planned maintenance closures between Three Bridges and Brighton and Lewes are also set to take place on October 9, October 10 and November 13, which will also have an impact on services along the Brighton Main Line.

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