Croydon rail bottleneck upgrade cancelled, campaigners push for revival
Network Rail halted the £2.9bn scheme in 2021 and scrapped it in 2025; a think‑tank report and MPs urge a restart before the Brighton line hits capacity in 2030.
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Network Rail announced that the Croydon bottleneck upgrade, a £2.9bn project to replace flat junctions with flyovers and add six new viaducts, was put on hold in 2021 and formally cancelled in 2025, as reported by ianVisits.
Background to the cancelled upgrade
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The bottleneck lies between East Croodon station and Selhurst junction, where trains crossing tracks cause delays that ripple to Brighton, Thameslink and services as far north as Cambridge. Network Rail has consistently listed the junction as one of the most severe capacity constraints on the national rail network, according to the same source.
Good Growth Foundation proposal
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The centre‑left think‑tank Good Growth Foundation released a report proposing a staged revival, beginning with the Selhurst Triangle. The report estimates the wider programme could support 10,500 permanent jobs and 14,500 homes on previously developed land, and would save commuters a combined 230,000 hours a year, as reported by ianVisits.
“so that we can get that scheme back on track”
Andy Burnham, Prime Minister
Prime Minister Andy Burnham told Croydon East MP Natasha Irons at Prime Minister’s Questions on 2 September that he would ask his No. 10 North team to contact her, as reported by ianVisits. The October Budget did not allocate funding for the project.
Political pressure and next steps
Croydon’s executive mayor Jason Perry and Gatwick Airport chief executive Pierre‑Hugues Schmit have written to the Chancellor urging a revival, linking the upgrade to Gatwick’s Northern Runway programme that expects to create around 14,000 jobs and add £1bn a year to the regional economy, according to ianVisits.
Crawley MP Peter Lamb tabled an Early Day Motion on 11 November calling for Network Rail to include the upgrade alongside planned renewals, aiming for a funding decision by 2029, as reported by ianVisits. The motion notes that without the upgrade the Brighton Main Line is projected to reach full capacity by 2030, just a year after the hoped‑for decision.
If the upgrade is not reinstated, passengers using the Brighton Main Line could face at least a decade of worsening delays, the source adds.
What happens next
Network Rail has not yet responded to the Early Day Motion. The next formal step will be a review by the Department for Transport to determine whether the scheme can be re‑included in the 2029 renewal programme. Residents and commuters are advised to monitor announcements from Network Rail and the Department for Transport for any funding decision.
Questions this report answers
+What happened to the Croydon bottleneck upgrade?
Network Rail halted the £2.9bn upgrade in 2021 and formally cancelled it in 2025, according to ianVisits. The cancellation leaves the existing flat junctions in place, meaning delays continue to affect services across the southeast.
+How many jobs and homes could a revived scheme support?
The Good Growth Foundation report estimates that reviving the Croydon bottleneck scheme could create 10,500 permanent jobs and provide 14,500 homes on previously developed land, as reported by ianVisits. Those figures underline the potential economic impact of the project.
+When is the Brighton Main Line expected to reach full capacity?
The Brighton Main Line is projected to hit full capacity by 2030 if the Croydon bottleneck upgrade is not reinstated, according to ianVisits. Reaching capacity would likely increase delays on services that use the line, affecting commuters and regional travel.
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