Rail bosses are being urged to explain continuing problems on the Uckfield Line after repeated cancellations, speed restrictions and service changes.
Wealden MP Nusrat Ghani has called for an urgent meeting with Network Rail amid growing complaints from passengers over the reliability of the route.
Several speed restrictions and changes to services have been introduced in recent weeks following a major incident, with multiple trains cancelled each day.
Some local stations have also reportedly been left without a train service for days at a time.
Passengers have raised concerns about rail replacement buses, saying some services are failing to connect with onward train journeys and leaving people stranded.
Ms Ghani said constituents have complained about reliability on the line for years and want to see improvements before the winter.
She said: “Safety is paramount and we all appreciate the efforts put in to keeping passengers and rail staff safe. Yet, despite efforts to maintain safety, rail users feel they are being left with little choice and uncertainty and that they believe the operator is using recent incidents as an excuse to cut costs on the Uckfield Line.
“Recent complaints focus on the poor service and the fact the rail replacement bus put on by the operator is failing to get passengers to their next train journey. My constituents just want the trains to run according to the programme set out by the operator and want the service they are paying for.
“Constituents have raised issues with the service for many years, long before the recent hot weather was cited as the cause of safety issues. However, some residents believe that the weather is now being used as an excuse and that they see little evidence that issues are being dealt with.
“The Uckfield Line is the main route in and out of the city for my constituents, with many people relying on it to get to work and being left stranded with little to no information. The poor performance by the rail operator is not a surprise, but we need to see the issues resolved before the winter sets in. I have asked for a meeting with Network Rail as a matter of urgency.
“Residents deserve much better and I will push the operator to do better.”
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