BEXHILL Rail Action Group (BRAG) recently celebrated its 20th anniversary with a conference at the Relais Cooden Beach Hotel attended by representatives from the rail industry, local government and business.
The event, in February, celebrated enhancements to rail services and stations over the past two decades and heard about future developments, including the formation of Great British Railways as well as options for longer-term infrastructure upgrades and additional services.
BRAG Chair Yolanda Laybourne said: “BRAG was originally born out of necessity back in 2005 when through services to London were under threat, but has gone on to become an effective advocate and partner across the region for improving and developing services across the East Coastway.
“Good rail services are vital for the economy of our town and area, and BRAG will continue to campaign on behalf of the people of Bexhill and Rother.
“We would like to thank the excellent speakers and all those who attended, also special thanks to Govia Thameslink Railway (Southern) for their organisation of the event and for taking forward the key points co-ordinated by BRAG from the conference for when, as operator, they are taken into public ownership on 31 May, 2026.
Angie Doll, the Chief Executive Officer of Govia Thameslink Railway, said: ‘I was delighted to speak at the Bexhill Rail Action Group rail conference in Cooden Beach to celebrate their 20th anniversary, sharing my perspective on the changes coming to the railway as we progress towards Great British Railways, and to celebrate some of the fantastic achievements Govia Thameslink Railway and BRAG have delivered together over the years. I am confident that our strong partnership will continue in the years ahead to improve services and stations along this line, encouraging even more people to choose to travel by train.’
Bexhill and Battle MP Dr Kieran Mullan concluded: “I was very pleased to attend the BRAG rail conference last month. It was a highly successful day, bringing together community leaders and senior colleagues from across the rail industry. We had productive discussions on local service improvements, engineering solutions, and station projects that would benefit Bexhill and strengthen our connectivity.
“BRAG is without doubt an extremely effective user group for the town. Their hard work and commitment ensure that rail companies are held to account on service issues, while also enabling constructive collaboration with industry partners on projects that support both local passengers and the wider economy.
“I would like to thank BRAG and Govia Thameslink Railway for delivering such an interesting and well-organised conference, and for ensuring that senior leaders were present in the room. This kind of local collaboration genuinely makes a difference.”
