Long-suffering rail commuters from Maidstone could face even longer journeys to and from London after it emerged extra stops could be added to Victoria line services.

The news is yet another blow to west Kent rail travellers, already reeling from above-inflation fare increases and the withdrawal of peak-period trains to the City.

Transport for London is calling for Southeastern and the government to agree to add extra stops at Peckham Rye and Denmark Hill on the Maidstone-Victoria line from 2012.

The suggestion for the extra stops has come about as a result of the withdrawal of the South London Line which runs from London Bridge station to Victoria stations.

It is being withdrawn due to work on the Thameslink scheme and TfL says it wants to minimise the impact on south London passengers.

But the plans have drawn short shrift in Kent.

Click here to read our political editor Paul's view

Maidstone and Weald MP Helen Grant said: "I am opposed to these plans, which will make an already dreadful service for Maidstone commuters even worse."

And county transport chiefs have denounced the idea, saying it would have a detrimental effect.

In a report setting out a blueprint for rail services under the next franchise agreement, KCC says it has already objected to the proposal "in the strongest possible terms."

The report says: "This route has already become the Cinderella of Southeastern rail network.

"To impoverish it still further with these additional stops and longer journey times would cause further serious hardship for the many Kent residents whose daily journeys are already far longer than appropriate for the county town of Kent."

Transport for London said the move would only add a few minutes to existing journey times - between 22 and 75 minutes.

In a statement, it said: "TfL and Southeastern are discussing whether or not suggestions to stop at those stations are possible within the current franchise.

"We will work with Southeastern and Passenger Focus to ensure the views of Kent passengers and others affected are considered in this process."

Southeastern said the plan would require a change in its franchise agreement that could only be made by the government.