Coastal communities will once again be served by direct high-speed trains all day after a timetable change was unveiled.

Southeastern services connecting Deal, Walmer and Martin Mill to London St Pancras will now run hourly throughout the day from December 11 when the new schedule comes into effect.

The regular direct link between the coast and the capital was severed during the pandemic, as lockdown saw passenger numbers collapse.

Services have slowly been restored, first with peak commuter trains and then some off-peak connections, but those travelling later in the day were still required to change in Ashford.

Dover and Deal MP Natalie Elphicke, who lobbied for the reintroduction of direct trains, has welcomed the revised timetable.

She said: "These services are vital for commuting to work as well as to support our tourist trade and boost our local economy.

"I have been working hard to make our community’s case for Deal's all-day high-speed train services to return.

"I am delighted to see a successful outcome."

December's timetable changes represent a radical shake-up of the network to reflect a post-pandemic world, with all first-class tickets on mainline Southeastern trains to be scrapped in a bid to increase capacity.

The train operator says it has made significant changes to the services it operates across the county as it responds to a "seismic change" in the way we use the rails.

Changes to travel patterns and increased working from home have dramatically altered the railway business model.

Annual season ticket sales alone have plunged by 85% since the pandemic, reflecting the on-going switch to hybrid working.

Southeastern operation and safety director Scott Brightwell said: "The way we all travel has changed post-pandemic and many of our customers are now using our services differently and at varying times of the day.

"This new and improved timetable delivers a more consistent all-day service and means we're providing trains, and space, where it’s needed most - which reflects the way people now travel."