A direct train service to Cambridge could be coming to Maidstone - as well as restored connections to the city of London.

Rail firm Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which operates services in London and the south, has launched a consultation on a new timetable due to be launched in 2018.

At a meeting with key organisations yesterday, rail bosses set out plans to introduce two trains an hour between Maidstone East and Cambridge, serving London Bridge, Blackfriars and St Pancras.

An exact route has not been confirmed but it is expected to include West Malling, Borough Green and Otford.

A spokesman for Sevenoaks Commuters’ Group, which also represents passengers travelling from Otford and Borough Green, said: “This is great news, we were expecting peak-only services.”

Southeastern currently operates services between Maidstone East and London Victoria. The rail company’s franchise is up for renewal in 2018.

In 2014 GTR was awarded a franchise to run routes in the south as part of a bid which included proposals to run trains to Maidstone and Sevenoaks in the future.

Back in 2009 trains between Maidstone and the city were withdrawn sparking a campaign from disgruntled commuters who complained the route into Victoria makes for longer journey times.

GTR will launch a consultation in July and timetables are expected to be confirmed in the new year.

A company spokesman said: “We’re delighted with the reaction from rail user groups to our plans to expand and improve the Thameslink service in 2018 and improvements this will give passengers.

"The new timetable would link many new communities into the Thameslink cross-London route" - GTR spokesman

“The new timetable would link many new communities into the Thameslink cross-London route, so there would be less reliance on the Tube.

“Before we implement this we will carry out a full consultation, this summer, when we will confirm details of the new routes and timetables.

"What we can say now is that the consultation will propose two new Thameslink services serving Kent, to be run by our brand new Class 700 trains, which potentially releases some existing carriages to strengthen the very busy Metro service on Southeastern.”