by political editor Paul Francis

Commuters are being forced to sell their homes and switch jobs because of cuts to train services from Maidstone and west Kent to London, and in particular Cannon Street station.

Concerns about the new timetable, which axed several commuter trains running into the City, were the main focus of complaints at a rail summit organised by Kent County Council at county hall on Thursday night.

Passenger groups complained bitterly that west Kent services were being overlooked because of the priority being given to High-Speed services to St Pancras.

The summit heard Tonbridge and Malling MP Sir John Stanley accuse ministers of "profound stupidity" for failing to recognise the impact the cuts and the new timetable would have.

He told the summit: "Thousands of people have found their journey times hugely extended and have found their costs increase. For many families, their whole family life and arrangements to get children to school have been completely messed up because of the changes."

He went on: "Homes after home is going up for sale because the connections people and the joined up services into the city that people were promised when they moved here are now completely invalid."

Audio: Commuter Laura Cloke

The concerns were echoed by Tonbridge and Malling councillor Matthew Balfour, who warned that commuters deserting west Kent would hit the economy.

"If people who live here and work in the city cannot get to the city, they will move. They are the people laying the golden egg. If we do not have direct rail services, you will not have their taxes," he said.

A spokesman for Southeastern said minor timetable changes would come into effect in May if agreed by the government but any decisions over the re-instatement of services would be a matter for the Department for Transport under the terms of its franchise agreement.

The summit heard calls for Southeastern to fully restore the services to Cannon Street and Charing Cross ahead of a internal review by Southeastern and the Department for Transport of the new timetable. That is scheduled for May.

Martin Tripp, of the Malling and District Rail Travellers' Association, said: "It is not just Maidstone commuters being severely affected but people coming from Ashford and beyond. It is adding 20 minutes or more to their journeys to Maidstone East."

Audio: Cllr Nick Chard

Cllr Nick Chard (Con), KCC's cabinet member for transport, said it was vital the government recognised that the new timetabling arrangements for High Speed One were not working in the interests of all passengers.

He said: "HSI is fantastic but there are others who are finding it is not benefitting them and we have to make sure their voices are heard and heard in the right places. We want to see Kent grow as a prosperous county and it is a concern if people feel they have to move out."

He pledged that the council would take up the issues over cuts to services with both ministers and Southeastern.

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