From 22 May 2023, an extra train will run hourly to Charing Cross on the Bexleyheath line during off-peak times, Monday to Saturday.
Southeastern Railway states that it has been “listening to customers' feedback and using journey data to assess how people are travelling”, following the introduction of its December 2022 timetable.
As a result, over 300 services will operate each week, directly to and from Charing Cross on the Bexleyheath line.
Southeastern accepts that there is substantial demand on the Bexleyheath line for direct services that call at Waterloo East on the way to Charing Cross, and that adding this hourly service “should benefit passengers on the Bexleyheath line and better balance demand across Southeastern's Metro services, supporting the West End economy.”
The company continues, “For taxpayers, this decision balances the need to manage the cost of providing rail services, with the need to generate fare revenue that supports the provision and development of them.
“Although this decision relates to a specific part of our network, we're committed to working with customers and stakeholders to develop our timetable in the future. We'll continue to listen as the travel habits of our customers change.”
I moved to Medway 1970 The train service to Charring Cross was quicker then, than I can today. It’s felt across the Medway community that the service’s has been suspended indefinitely to make way for the high speed to St Pancras. The reason is simple to increase traveller numbers on the high speed service. Further more who on earth wants to travel to Luton from Medway answer very few people.
Perhaps South Western Railway should give up using the remaining Class 707 and to hand them to Southeastern so that Southeastern can use them on the Hayes line and Dartford loop line and to work alongside with the Class 376.
How is it possible to ask for more money for less trains? No matter what party is in government. The train fares just keep going up what do we get in return delays cancellations stand up in the train no toilets strikes trains don’t work when it’s too cold when it’s too hot signals, not working points, not working oh I tell a lie, what we do get is expensive shops in the train stations