VILLAGERS across Kent are planning to unite to fight proposals to slash rural train services in the county.

The Strategic Rail Authority wants to reduce the number of stops to improve journey times between the county's major towns. Many villages affected with all off peak services set to disappear from 2007.

Parish Council chiefs in these areas are planning a joint campaign to persuade the SRA to maintain train services at their current levels.

Cllr Alan Williams, chairman of Hollingbourne Parish Council, said: "We work well together and we can see this as being one of those issues where we will stand together to maintain our train services.

Lenham Parish Council chairman, Cllr Andrew Barr said: "They want us to use public transport and then make it impossible for us to do so. It flies in the face of what the government is saying."

Cllr David Clifton, chairman of Harrietsham Parish Council, added: "It just seems we are getting more and more isolated. Anyone without a car faces being stuck in the village."

"I can sympathise with the need to improve journey times to London, but I see no reason why they cannot mix and match. Every other train could be a fast train with less stops."

A spokesman for the SRA promised to listen but said tough choices had to be made. He stressed: "We are obviously at a fairly early stage in the consultation, but it is a genuine consultation.

"We have set out some options and some choices and are engaging fully with passenger groups local authorities, and others within Kent particularly.

"The new franchise will bring some real benefits to Kent passengers including high speed services using the CTRL.

"But getting the right train services for the future means making choices. The right way to do that is to set out our proposals out clearly and widely."