There are just eight months to the start of the new high-speed train services to London St Pancras.

But none of Medway’s stations has been extended to take the 12-car Japanese Javelin trains.

Transport Minister Lord Adonis saw for himself some of the problems that face local commuters when he visited Gillingham as part of a seven-day whistle-stop tour of the British rail network.

He had no immediate answer to the reasons why stations are still too short for the trains. But he said the government had set aside cash to carry out work.

Lord Adonis said: “There is a total of £150 million available across the country.”

But he is still waiting for proposals for the multi-million pound refurbishment of Gillingham station to come forward.

“I very much hope local partners will come together with a credible station improvement plan to enable Gillingham station to be modernised and facilities for passengers to be improved,”