A commuter says he's hundreds of pounds out of pocket after the sudden demise of a coach service from Medway and Kent to London.

The Kings Ferry, based in Gillingham, announced last Thursday that it would be axing its commuter operation from Christmas Eve after about 40 years of transporting thousands of passengers to the capital.

One, who did not wished to be named, had just forked out £750 for 50 day-return journeys from his home in Walderslade to the city, where he works as an insurance claims adjuster.

He has been told by the Gillingham-based operator, run by National Express, that he will be reimbursed in January, but he says no exact date has been confirmed to him.

While the 39-year-old dad is working from home at the moment, he will have to pay out more than double to commute on the train when employees return to the workplace.

Since using the service, which he can pick up just minutes from his home, he has paid £15 a day to get to London Bridge and back.

A flexi rail ticket from Chatham to London would cost him £38, plus he may have to pay for bus fares to the station of about £5 a day if he can't get a lift.

"I literally paid out for my ticket a week before being told they were cancelling services"

He said: "I literally paid out for my ticket a week before being told they were cancelling services. I can understand it was a business decision made with more people working from home, but I don't understand why they didn't have systems in place to put refunds in people's hands straightaway.They should have been waiting there with a cheque book."

He said it was particularly challenging at this time of year when many are spending out more cash over the Christmas period.

The firm was approached for comment. It has not yet responded but its website does have a form customers can fill in, and it says requests will be processed within 30 days.

In a message to customers last week, National Express regional managing director Ian Fraser said: "This has been an incredibly difficult decision and has not been taken lightly.

"The ongoing challenges created by Covid-19 have reduced demand to such an extent that means our services are not commercially viable and unlikely to become so in the near future.

"There are no current plans to reinstate the service however we will continue to monitor travel patterns and if circumstances change in the future we will look at ways to re-introduce our commuter services."

The Kings Ferry was started by businessman Peter O'Neill in Gillingham in 1968. He remained as chairman until November 2007 when the Kings Ferry Travel Group was sold to National Express.

It is based at The Travel Centre, Eastcourt Lane, Twydall.

To apply for a refund, click here.