The scheme is about funding for feasibility studies with a focus on local rail services.Have just seen this list and am both surprised and dismayed not to see Uckfield-Lewes/Brighton on it. I'm fairly certain that the BML2 group would have submitted a proposal (again). I fear this will put the kibosh on reopening this link for good now.
Also surprised not to see Bere Alston-Tavistock or as someone else mentioned, Crediton-Okehampton - which has already seen successful reintroduction of summer weekend services. Maybe because there are already firm plans in place?
Anyone know if there's a way of viewing all the submissions?
Uckfield - Lewes had almost 10x times the allowed amount on the current funding scheme spent on a feasibility study just 4 years ago.
BML2 are toxic because of their obsession with using Uckfield - Lewes as an alternative route to London (which doesn't stack up). Unless BML2 have changed their tune and the proposal was more around the railfuture / some councils type approach of it being a mainly local focus scheme for better access to Brighton (much more sensible in my view) then it is hard to see them getting funding for yet another feasibility study when other schemes could at least get a first chance a funding for feasibility studies.
Devon schemes submitted in batch 2 I understand as they wanted to spent more time submitting better quality proposals as they already had some initial work underway.