Improvements on level crossings to increase safety and reliability for both the railway and motorists and pedestrians will go underway later this month.

Parsonage Road level crossing will be closed to cars and pedestrians for 10 days at Parsonage Road from Friday 19th to Tuesday 30th August. Littlehaven level crossing will only be closed for three days from the 19th August.

The crossing at Parsonage Road will go from half a barrier to a full one and gain additional CCTV to ensure the safer use of the crossing.

Both crossings after the upgrade will be controlled from the Three Bridges Signalling Centre, making them less prone to failure and maintenance.

Network Rail are advising those who are travelling through Horsham to plan ahead and allow extra time for travel while the improvements are completed.

To help mitigate the impact, Network Rail will be running a mini bus service to help pedestrians get across to the other side of the level crossing at both crossings with marshals present to help people get to where they need to be.

Motorists wanting to cross at Parsonage Road should divert to Hurst Road, Station Road and Harwood Road between the 19th and 29th August and between the 22nd and 30th motorists will be diverted to North Heath Lane and Littlehaven level crossing.

Those wanting to travel across Littlehaven level crossing will be diverted to Hurst Road, Station Road and Harwood Road.

Amongst the upgrades to the crossings will be a replacement of a kilometre of track at Faygate from Saturday 20th to Monday the 22nd August and again on Saturday 27th to Monday 29th August. During this time a bus replacement service will be in place.

Katie Frost, Network Rail’s Sussex route director, said: “Upgrading and modernising level crossings is vital to running a safe and reliable railway for passengers and crossing users.

“Unfortunately, the work we had to do to upgrade crossings means we need to close Parsonage Road level crossing for 10-days and Littlehaven for three-days at the same time. While we have carefully planned diversionary routes, this will mean longer journeys for motorists and people travelling on foot.

“We’re sorry for the disruption this may cause to residents and rail passengers, and we ask people needing to travel to please plan ahead whether travelling by car or rail replacement bus service.”