Passengers travelling between Kent and East Sussex are to be blighted by more than two weeks of disruption.

Train services between Ashford International and Hastings will be impacted by essential repair works from next month.

On the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20, there will be no trains between Hastings, Rye and Ashford International. Buses will replace trains.

The following two weekends, October 26 and 27, and November 2 and 3, a train shuttle service will run between Rye and Ashford International between 7.30am and 6.30pm each day. Outside of these times, rail replacement buses will operate.

On weekdays from Monday, October 21 to Friday, November 1 an hourly train shuttle service will run between Rye and Ashford between 7.30am and 6.30pm each day.

Before 7am and after 7pm buses will replace trains.

The closure and changes are taking place so tunnel work can be carried out in the Ore area of Hastings.

Network Rail insists it will improve drainage and prevent water seeping through tunnel walls and damaging railway equipment.

Sections of brickwork will also be repaired, with parts of the tunnel lined with sprayed concrete and 700 yards of track replaced.

Four sets of switches and crossings, or points, will also be refurbished.

Network Rail’s Lucy McAuliffe has apologised for the disruption: “We know there’s never a good time to close the railway and we’re sorry for the disruption to people’s journeys.

“Working in cramped tunnels is challenging and unfortunately, due to the nature of the conditions, work takes longer.

“We have planned the work to take place, in part, over the October half-term holidays to reduce disruption to school travel and because trains are typically quieter during school holidays.

“That means fewer people are likely to be affected overall.”