Commuters returning to Maidstone from Victoria face an uncomfortable journey standing, after Southeastern reduced the number of coaches on a peak commuter service.

Starting on January 5, the number of coaches on the 17.58 from Victoria to Maidstone East was cut from six to four.

The result has been that many of the passengers have had to stand throughout the hour-long journey.

The move has angered Beth Grainger, of Grecian Street, Maidstone, who works as a PA in London.

She said: “I haven’t had a seat once since they introduced the changes. Southeastern say they haven’t enough rolling stock, but that’s not good enough.”

She is urging her fellow commuters to complain and has also written to Maidstone and the Weald MP Ann Widdecombe (Con).

Charles Higham speaking for Southeastern said: “Our train service is intensively used, particularly in and out of London during the rush hours. Like other train operating companies we are not able to guarantee a seat to every passenger.

“Unfortunately we have a limited number of train carriages available and we have had to reduce some trains in length to balance out the carriages that we do have and to concentrate them on the very busiest trains where that are needed most.”

The company said it was shortly changing the stopping schedule of the 17.58 service, so that it no longer stopped at Bromley South. That would reduce the number of passengers trying to board at Victoria and ease the problem for Maidstone commuters.

The Southeastern website includes data on how congested each of its train services are - click here for more.