Commuters furious as trains axed

The new South Eastern Trains are too long for Pluckley platform

Rail commuters who use a station in Kent are furious after discovering two of their three trains into London's Cannon Street are to be cut.

The platform at Pluckley will be too short when the old slam door trains are replaced with new Networker stock.

South Eastern Trains said it is filling the gap by stopping two Charing Cross trains at Pluckley instead.

But campaigners are holding a public meeting in the village on Friday to protest against the changes.

Parking issue

Chairman of the campaign group Andrew Buchanan said people who used the Cannon Street service would now have to change trains to get to their destination.

The alternative was to drive 20 minutes to board a Cannon Street train at Headcorn.

"There is an issue of where to park at Headcorn and cars driving there every day is going to have an impact on that village," he said.

"We would either like to keep the old trains or have the platform extended."

Sarah Boundy, from South Eastern Trains, said: "I do appreciate that for Andrew Buchanan and his colleagues it is frustrating.

"But we run 1,700 services every day - 1,400 into London - and this will inconvenience 50 people at Pluckley every day.