by business editor Trevor Sturgess

Preview high-speed rail services between Kent and London have proved such a hit with passengers more services could be added.

The Javelin services between Ashford and St Pancras and Ebbsfleet and St Pancras were launched on June 29 and operator Southeastern says numbers have exceeded expectations.

It has doubled the length of the 7.48 am train from Ashford to St Pancras International and the return train at 17.37pm from six to 12 carriages.

During the first month of operation, punctuality of 99.1 per cent has been achieved.

Charles Horton, managing director, said: "The service is proving so popular that now we have successfully passed the first month we are going to review the demand and look at the possibility of expanding the service frequency and destinations.

"We are extremely pleased with the first month of the preview service. We have provided an excellent service to our passengers and seen the numbers grow consistently from week to week.

"To be doubling the length of some of our trains in the first week was amazing. To achieve such great punctuality is a reflection of the hard work all our staff have put in and we hope that passengers have appreciated this."

Southeastern is charging higher fares for the preview services but it seems customers are happy to pay for the fast 37-minute journey time from Ashford and 17 minutes from Ebbsfleet.

There are three morning peak services and three return services between Ashford and St Pancras and six between Ebbsfleet and St Pancras. Throughout the day, services run twice hourly between Ebbsfleet International and St Pancras International.

The full service will be introduced on December 13.