The train operators, Connex South Eastern, which has come under fire for poor service, had designated Wednesday as a performance day when all staff make a special effort to get all their trains in on time.

The service is under pressure to improve

But some passengers waiting for the 0620 Connex service from Ramsgate in Kent were angry when their train whizzed past their stations.

Sally Leaver, a commuter left stranded at Rye station, told the BBC: "When we arrived at the station we were told that it was Connex South Eastern's 100% Day. The train had left Ramsgate seven minutes late so in order to catch up and meet the 100% targets they wouldn't be stopping at our station nor the two stations before us."

Connex denials

But Connex denied the incident was directly related to its designated performance day, saying it was "standard operating procedure" to make delayed trains miss out stops.

"It's pure chance - people are putting two and two together and coming up with seven," said a spokesman.

"Decisions of this nature are made on a daily basis, throughout the UK, to ensure the smooth running of a rail network.

"We apologise to any customers who may have been inconvenienced this morning but it is our aim to get the maximum number of customers to their destinations safely and on time."

Once a week Connex ecnourages normally office-bound managers to join colleagues around the network in a special push to make trains run on time by, for instance, encouraging passengers to board trains quickly.

The Focus 100 day was designed as an extra big effort to reach 100% punctuality.

'Fiddling with the figures'

But the commuters' pressure group Save Our Railways was not impressed.

SOR campaign director Jonathan Bray said: "We all want the trains to run on time - but missing out station stops is not the way to do it.