Southern Railway is adding a new early morning commuter service between Uckfield and London Bridge in response to continued high levels of growth on the line.
The new service, which is to to be introduced from December 2012, is part of an agreement between Southern Railway and the Department for Transport.
The service will operate from Uckfield at 5.18am, arriving into London Bridge at 6.23am.
Southern is funding the new service in part from efficiency savings it has made on its current franchise.
The service will operate until the end of the Southern Franchise, at which point it may be operated by the successor franchise operator.
Transport Minister Norman Baker said: “I am pleased to see the industry looking at solutions that deliver benefits to passengers.
“Adding an additional service to this vital route will mean more seats for passengers, easing congestion and providing earlier travel to London.”
Southern’s franchise improvement director, David Scorey, said: “The Uckfield line has seen significant growth in recent years and we are pleased that we have been able to find a way to respond to the increasing need for extra capacity, particularly on the morning service.”
