Rye station will be closed from 3pm for Rye Bonfire on Saturday 15 November. Services will restart the next day, Sunday.
The closure has the backing of Rye Bonfire Society and Sussex Police, who say it will prevent anti-social behaviour from youths travelling in from out of town.
James Foster, chair of Rye Bonfire Society, said, “We definitely support the closure of Rye station as it has a noticeable positive impact on crowd behaviour, and this is clearly demonstrated by the reduction in police incidents.”
Chief Insp Simon Yates of Sussex Police said, “To ensure public safety, a decision has been made to close Rye station during the bonfire event. Police officers will be working closely with partners to maintain order, prevent crime, and respond swiftly to any incidents.”
10,000 people are expected to be in town on bonfire night.
Southern Rail’s Area Manager Paul Wyborn says the service cannot cope with such large numbers. “There would be a very real risk that visitors would be stranded trying to get home because they would not be able to board the last train home.”
There are also a number of road closures throughout the day. All roads on the procession route will be shut from 6.30pm to 10pm. The main A259 road will be closed through Rye from 7pm to 10pm.
The 100, 101 and 313 buses will also be affected.
You can read more about the timetable for Rye Bonfire here.
Image Credits: KT Bruce .