Southeastern today confirmed that high speed services will start to operate from Deal and Sandwich – thanks to the support of Kent County Council – from the 5 September, one month earlier than planned.
Also announced today are additional high speed services at weekends from Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 September, in time for the opening of Westfield Stratford City.
Transport Minister Norman Baker said:
“Domestic high speed trains have already had a positive impact by introducing passengers from Kent fast and convenient access to central London – it is good news that Kent County Council and Southeastern have reached an agreement so that these services can be extended.”
The new services from Deal and Sandwich are being funded by Kent County Council to boost business confidence and support new employment opportunities in East Kent at the same time as Pfizer withdraws from the area.
They follow the successful use of high speed services during the recent Open Golf Championship at Sandwich, when 37,000 spectators travelled by train.
There will be three services in the morning departing Sandwich at 05:50, 06:18 and 06:50, calling at Deal six minutes later. In the evening there will be two services to Deal and Sandwich leaving St Pancras International at 17:40 and 18:40.
The new services will operate Monday to Friday and will take approximately 90 minutes. Existing Mainline services to Deal and Sandwich take approximately 135 minutes.
Additional early morning services at the weekend have also been announced today, to help passengers get to the new Westfield Stratford City, due to open on 13 September.
From Saturday 10 September there will be additional services departing from Faversham (06:58), Margate (06:53) and Dover Priory (07:44) as well as services from St Pancras International to Faversham (06:55), Margate (07:42) and Dover Priory (08:12). All these services will call at Stratford International.
Also starting on Sunday 11 September will be an additional service departing Ashford International at 07:43.
Vince Lucas, service delivery director said:
“These new services will be a real benefit for the local economy and encourage people and business to look at the opportunities in East Kent. We have worked closely with Kent County Council, Department for Transport and Network Rail and Kent MPs to get these services introduced as quickly as possible.
“These new services reflect feedback from passengers and stakeholders who wish to get into London early on weekends.
“On Saturdays there was a gap in the service, which was required for track inspections which are no longer carried out at this time, so we have taken the opportunity to run another service.
“On Sundays it was not possible to get into St Pancras International much before 9am so this new service will help ensure those early risers can get in before 8.30.”
