by Mary Graham

mgraham@thekmgroup.co.uk

Furious commuters say they are being neglected after the government refused to step in to save fast train services to the City.

From December 13, Maidstone East will lose its peak service into Cannon Street, and hourly off-peak services. Other stations served by the train included Barming, West Malling and Borough Green.

The decision, announced by Southeastern earlier this year, also means commuters on the Maidstone East line have lost services to London Bridge and Waterloo East, also served by the fast Cannon Street Service.

A campaign had been fought by two rail user groups. They believed there was hope of saving the service after Southeastern said it would not axe services to the City as long as they were subsidised by the Department for Transport.

But this week transport minister Chris Mole announced the government will not pay £637,000 a year to keep the services.

Mr Mole conceded around 200 to 300 people using the peak services to the City would face longer journeys when the services were cut, but said there was no practical way the services could be re-instated.

Commuters along the Maidstone East line will now only be able to get to Victoria, leaving City workers facing lengthy tube or bus journeys across London.

Laura Cloke, of the Maidstone Area User Rail Group, said: "This just shows the neglect that is going on in Maidstone, while other parts of Kent are going through a huge regeneration.

"The town also faces maternity services moving to Pembury and now we cannot even have a decent rail service.

"Southeastern are planning hefty price increases in the New Year, while we get a poorer service. We will be fighting this."

Maidstone and the Weald MP, Ann Widdecombe (Con), added: "This is final proof of how utterly disregarded my constituents have been in this sad saga. Ministers haven’t a clue."

Campaigners presented evidence to the Department for Transport that the services were well used and that many living near Maidstone East station drove to other stations such as Paddock Wood and Tonbridge, where connections to London were better.

Many businesses also supported the campaign, saying they would be disadvantaged by not having good links to the City of London.