IMPORTANT A272 ROAD WORKS INFORMATION – 5th Oct 2026
Please see attached information sheet from Highways regarding roadworks planned on A272 Haywards Heath Road, Chailey Common on Monday 5th October between 9.30am and 2.30pm.
Chailey Commons Activities Diary Oct -Dec 2026
/in News /by Nicola MennissPlease see attached poster detailing events planned by Chailey Commons Society.
GTRailway – Temporary Changes to Southern Services
/in News /by Nicola MennissBriefing on some temporary changes to Southern services on the East Coastway route (introduced from Monday 14 September)
Firstly, we want to acknowledge the disruption that passengers travelling on this route experienced while the recovery operation near Lewes was ongoing as we know the impact it had on journeys. While I know this will not be welcome news, from Monday 14 September we have introduced some temporary, targeted changes to weekday off-peak services between Ore, Eastbourne, Lewes, Haywards Heath and London.
These changes are expected to remain in place for approximately four weeks while Network Rail continues to monitor track conditions and carry out maintenance work across the route. As you may be aware, a number of precautionary speed restrictions remain in place on sections of the railway in Sussex, including on sections of the route between Haywards Heath, Eastbourne and Ore. These restrictions are necessary to allow trains to continue operating safely while infrastructure conditions are monitored and remedial work is completed, but do mean trains take longer than planned to complete their journeys.
If we continued to operate the usual timetable throughout the day, delays would quickly build up and increase the risk of short notice cancellations and alterations to services for customers, and affect services across a much wider area of the network. By making targeted changes at quieter times of the day, we can help services run more reliably and predictably, while maintaining busier peak-time services for the many customers who rely on the railway to travel to and from work, education and other essential journeys. This approach will help keep people moving when demand is highest in the peak and at weekends, while reducing the knock-on delays that can affect customers across the wider network.
We recognise that customers will find these changes inconvenient, particularly following the recent disruption on the route, and we have not taken this decision lightly. However, we believe these targeted amendments represent the best balance between maintaining services for passengers and providing a reliable and punctual on this line and across the network.
Information on service changes:
- The temporary changes will apply Monday to Friday only. Weekend services will continue to run as normal
- The usual half-hourly service between Ore, Eastbourne and London Victoria will operate in the morning peak, until around 09:00.
- Between 09:00 and 16:00, a shuttle service will operate between Eastbourne and Haywards Heath, where customers can change trains to continue their journey. An amended service, but of the same frequency, will operate between Eastbourne and Ore.
- After 16:00, the regular half-hourly service between London, Eastbourne and Ore will resume, with the first train from London running through to Eastbourne departing at 16:24.
Journey planners will be updated with the service changes so customers can plan their journeys, and we will continue to share the latest information on our website. We know this service alteration will mean changes to journeys, and would like to apologise for any inconvenience it causes for customers, and we are very grateful for their understanding while these temporary arrangements are in place. We are also sorry for what is a short notice change in service for customers. We will continue to keep these arrangements under review alongside Network Rail as maintenance work progresses and conditions improve.
If you have any questions about these changes, then please do let us know by contacting the public affairs team at GTRPublicAffairs@GTRailway.com.
Lewes Bonfire Joint Press Release Sept 2026
/in News /by Nicola MennissPlease see the attached press release regarding travel arrangements & staying safe during the Lewes Bonfire celebrations this year.
Chailey Village Hall AGM – 28th Sept at 5.00pm
/in News /by Nicola MennissPlease see the attached poster link for this event.
Statement on Government Decision to Pause Local Government Reorganisation
/in News /by Nicola MennissStatement on government decision to pause Local Government Reorganisation – Lewes and Eastbourne Councils
Following the announcement on LGR, Councillor Zoe Nicholson, Leader of Lewes District Council, said:
“Today’s announcement is another twist in a process that has already caused a great deal of uncertainty for residents. People deserve clear answers about what comes next and how any review will affect our communities.
“Last year saw local elections for East Sussex County Council cancelled and then reinstated, and now the entire Local Government Reorganisation programme is being reviewed.
“In Lewes district, we’ve been asking the Minister to explain the decision to separate East Saltdean, Peacehaven and Telscombe from the rest of our district and transfer them into Brighton & Hove, despite overwhelming opposition from local people. We have not yet received those answers. Today’s announcement only provides us with more uncertainty which is frustrating and unsettling for residents who simply want to know what the future holds for their communities.
“We will continue to work with our partners across East Sussex to understand the implications of this announcement and make sure local voices are heard throughout the review. Above all, our focus remains on serving residents and delivering the services people rely on every day.”
New Parish Council Contact Number
/in News /by Nicola MennissChailey Parish Council now has a dedicated mobile number for all Council enquiries.
📱 07983 567003
Residents, community groups and partner organisations are encouraged to update their records and use this number for all future contact.
Update from South East Water
/in News /by Nicola MennissGood morning,
I am writing to share an important update regarding the conclusion of Ofwat’s investigation into our historical supply disruptions between 2020 and 2023.
Today, South East Water has finalised a £30.5 million redress package, which will be wholly funded by SEW’s shareholders, agreed in close collaboration with Ofwat. This legally binding commitment will replace an initially proposed £22 million fine, ensuring that all funds are invested directly into local network resilience and community redress.
Our sincere apologies
We are incredibly sorry that water supplies have been affected for some of our customers across Kent and Sussex, sometimes on multiple occasions. This is not the level of service we aim to provide, nor is it the service that our customers deserve. We understand how difficult these disruptions have been personally for families, local businesses, and the wider community.
We accept Ofwat’s findings regarding these past supply failures.
Direct redress for impacted communities
Creating direct redress for impacted customers is at the very heart of this outcome. The £30.5 million redress package is strictly focused on making visible, rapid improvements for the customers who suffered the most. Through the package, the company’s shareholders will fund:
- £13m to undertake further investment following an independent root and branch review of the company’s resilience.
- £5m to speed up the smart metering programme for businesses.
- £5m to help households to collect rainwater and reduce demand on the mains supply through the provision of free water butts.
- £5m to install on-site storage tanks and smart meters in high-usage businesses to help manage the network better at peak times.
- £1m to make sure critical settings don’t run out of water if there is a future outage.
- £1.5m to create a community relief fund to give back to communities that suffered the worst water supply failures.
Our Commitment Moving Forward
We are entirely focused on learning from these past challenges. This package directly aligns with our upcoming Price Review 24 (PR24) Business Plan, which represents our largest-ever investment programme. Moving forward, our absolute priority is investing heavily in transforming our business, creating sustainable water resources, improving network resilience, and increasing our drinking water storage capacity.
We recognise that rebuilding your trust requires visible action and long-term network reliability. We remain fully committed to delivering the resilient public water supply that you and your constituents expect and deserve.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out. Details of the individual schemes will be shared with you in due course.
Yours sincerely,
Lisa Clement,
Interim Chair,
South East Water.
Alternatives to Holiday Food Vouchers
/in News /by Nicola MennissEast Sussex County Council have advised that due to changes in Government funding, the food vouchers during holidays scheme has now ended.
Please see the attached poster which identifies alternatives.
Footway Siding Works – A272 Station Road, Chailey 10th July 2026
/in News /by Nicola MennissHighways will be carrying out siding works in the footway on the A272 Station Road, Chailey.
Works will take place on 10 July 2026, 8am – 4:30pm, outside ‘Warren Cottages’.
The road will remain open with minimal disruption to road users.
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