SOUTHEASTERN TRAINS' SITTINGBOURNE AND SHEPPEY SERVICE

That this House welcomes the introduction of the recent high-speed train service from Sittingbourne to St Pancras; notes that as a consequence the trains to Cannon Street and Victoria are not only slower but the number of carriages have been reduced, especially in rush hour, from 12 to eight; further notes that notwithstanding that season ticket holders have had to pay above inflation increases they now find that they have to stand for what was once a 60 minute service but is now more normally 70 minutes or more; further notes that, even worse, the Sheerness to Sittingbourne line was closed for five consecutive days in early January; and calls for senior management at Southeastern Trains to rethink radically the rush hour services from Teynham, Sheerness and Sittingbourne and to reimburse hard-hit season ticket holders for their abysmal service or lose their licence.