Business travellers heading to and from London Gatwick faced unexpected rail disruption on 27 October after a trespasser on the line between Haywards Heath and Brighton forced a one-hour suspension of services. National Rail reported the incident at 14:16 and declared it cleared at 15:16, but knock-on delays lasted into the evening peak, affecting Gatwick Express, Southern and Thameslink trains.
Air-rail connectivity is critical for Gatwick, where roughly 40 % of passengers arrive by train. The timing—midway through the UK’s autumn half-term—added pressure on airport capacity already strained by a parallel jet-refueller strike. Some travellers missed check-in cut-offs and had to rebook flights.
Southern Railway accepted tickets on alternative routes, but capacity via Horsham was limited. Ride-hailing prices to the airport surged more than 120 %, according to mobility-app data.
The episode underscores the fragility of the UK’s multimodal travel chain: even short rail stoppages can ripple through airline operations, car-hire fleets and hotel bookings. Travel-management companies recommend building longer buffers into Gatwick itineraries, particularly during ongoing industrial action.
Network Rail says it is reviewing perimeter fencing in the area and will install additional CCTV. Trespass remains the single biggest cause of unplanned rail disruption nationwide, costing the industry an estimated £50 m a year.
Air-rail connectivity is critical for Gatwick, where roughly 40 % of passengers arrive by train. The timing—midway through the UK’s autumn half-term—added pressure on airport capacity already strained by a parallel jet-refueller strike. Some travellers missed check-in cut-offs and had to rebook flights.
Southern Railway accepted tickets on alternative routes, but capacity via Horsham was limited. Ride-hailing prices to the airport surged more than 120 %, according to mobility-app data.
The episode underscores the fragility of the UK’s multimodal travel chain: even short rail stoppages can ripple through airline operations, car-hire fleets and hotel bookings. Travel-management companies recommend building longer buffers into Gatwick itineraries, particularly during ongoing industrial action.
Network Rail says it is reviewing perimeter fencing in the area and will install additional CCTV. Trespass remains the single biggest cause of unplanned rail disruption nationwide, costing the industry an estimated £50 m a year.
