The Secretary of State for Transport gives notice under section 14(1)(b), (2A) (3A) and (3AA) of the Transport and Act 1992 (“the Act”) that he has determined under section 13(1) of the Act to make with modifications the Rother Valley Railway Order 2023 (“the Order”).

The Order was applied for by Rother Valley Railway Limited, Robertsbridge Railway Station, Station Road, Robertsbridge, TN32 5DG. It will authorise Rother Valley Railway Limited to reinstate a section of railway track between Bodiam and Robertsbridge, linking the existing sections of track which would complete the rail link between Bodiam and Robertsbridge Junction. The Order, once made, may be found at https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ or can be obtained from the Stationery Office https://www.tso.co.uk

The Secretary of state has, pursuant to section 14(1)(a) of the Act, given notice of his determination by way of a decision letter on 9 May 2023, copies of which may be obtained from the Transport Infrastructure Planning Unit, Department for Transport, Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 4DR or by emailing transportinfrastructure@dft.gov.uk. That letter gives the reasons for the determination and the considerations upon which it is based; information about the public participation process; and information regarding the right to challenge the validity of the determination and the procedures for doing so.

The Secretary of State confirms that, before making this determination, he considered the environmental statement, the further environmental information and the environmental statement 2021 update provided by the applicant and all the objections and other representations relating to it, and that he otherwise complied with the obligations referred to in section 14(3A) of the Act. For the purposes of section 14(3AA), he confirms that the main measures to avoid, reduce and, if possible, offset any likely significant adverse environmental effects are those set out in paragraphs 49 – 71, 74, 75 and 78 to 80 of the decision letter.

Natasha Kopala, Head of the Transport and Works Act Orders Unit, Department for Transport, Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 4DR