No footbridge at Hampden Park for nearly ten weeks

The footbridge at Hampden Park station is being taken away for repair for more than two months. 

Passengers will have to cross between platforms using a walking route over the already busy level crossing. 

Network Rail and train operator Southern have announced that "essential footbridge refurbishment works" will take place at Hampden Park from late January until mid-April. 

They have told stakeholders: "The station will remain open throughout this period. However, the footbridge will be removed for off-site refurbishment and will be unavailable from 01:30 on Saturday 7 February until mid-April."

The two organisations said that while the footbridge is being refurbished, "for those wishing to cross from one platform to the other, a signed pedestrian diversion will be in place via the level crossing on Mountfield Road/Brassey Avenue. Customers will be advised to allow additional time when crossing between platforms while the footbridge is unavailable". 

Hampden Park is one of the busiest stations in East Sussex and is used by visitors to the nearby Eastbourne District General Hospital, students and staff at the East Sussex College Group campus and as an interchange between trains serving Lewes/Brighton and Hastings/Ashford International. 

There were an estimated 861,166 station entries and exits at Hampden Park between April 2024 and March 2025, according to the Office of Rail and Road. Analysis by Eastbourne Reporter shows this was a 12.3% increase on the year before and the highest since similar records began in 1997/98.  

Passenger use at Hampden Park is running at 128% of pre-Covid levels and it is the seventh most used of the 38 railway stations in East Sussex. 

Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde, who grew up in Hampden Park, has called for greater accessibility at the station. 

He raised the issue in the Commons last month. He wrote on social media: "Despite the high demand, Hampden Park Station has no step-free access between platforms. This affects people with mobility needs, parents with buggies, and anyone travelling with luggage. 

"I have been calling on Network Rail and the Government to address this. Hampden Park must be included in the next round of dedicated 'Access for All' funding so we can finally end the inaccessibility at the station."

The planned schedule for removing and reinstating the footbridge is: 

:: Late January – ground investigation works at the front of the station to ensure it can safely support a crane, requiring the temporary closure of the front of the station building for two days. 

:: From 24 January – overnight work on Platforms 1 and 2 to prepare for the footbridge to be taken away. These include replacing rivets with bolts and relocating electrical services to enable safe removal of the footbridge. 

:: 7-8 February – the main span over the railway will be lifted out by crane. There will be a temporary lane closure on Mallard Close with traffic management in place from 07:00 on Sunday 8 February until 05:00 on Monday 9 February. 

:: 4-5 April – repaired footbridge put back in place and reopened "shortly afterwards". 

Network Rail and Southern said: "We are ... working to ensure that rail travellers have all the information they need to minimise disruption to their journeys, and further communications will begin to be rolled out in the coming weeks.  

"A 24-hour National Helpline is available on 03457 11 41 41. Residents can also contact communityrelationssouthern@networkrail.co.uk with any queries, quoting 'Hampden Park Footbridge Refurbishment Works'."

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