by Alastair Irvine

A promotional drive to raise awareness of the arrival of new high speed trains in Kent is being launched this month.

The London-wide 'Closer than you think’ campaign aims to highlight the time-saving benefits of the trains for commuters and rail travellers.

It will feature advertising on the London Underground, adverts on Southeastern trains, direct mail shots to businesses in the capital, a radio campaign on the London radio station LBC and a digital moving poster positioned in the St Pancras station forecourt.

Investment promotion agency Locate in Kent is running the 'Closer than you think’ campaign alongside Ashford’s Future, Kent County Council, Kent Thameside Regeneration Partnership, Medway Council and Southeastern.

Paul Wookey, chief executive of Locate in Kent said: “With less than 100 days to go until the full launch of high speed services in December, the countdown has well and truly begun.

As the county is benefiting from the first domestic high speed rail services in the UK, we’re in an enviable position and we want companies to know that Kent is the place to do business.

“As well as high speed connections to Europe and the City, Kent benefits from a lower cost-base than London, making it a convenient and practical business location."

The first few weeks of the high-speed preview services proved extremely popular with passengers, leading Southeastern to double the length of the train on some services from Ashford International to St Pancras International. Several peak services are now running to Ramsgate, Canterbury West, Dover Priory, Folkestone Central and West.

Locally the campaign will include a series of radio adverts in October, banners to promote the high speed service on the Ashford International station forecourt, articles in Ashford Voice (the Ashford Borough Council magazine) and promotion on the Ashford best placed website.

Ashford International is now only 37 minutes from St Pancras by bullet train.