A councillor has slammed Southeastern for their "inadequate" Christmas train services over the festive period.

The train company promised to provide a Saturday service on the working days between Christmas and New Year's Eve.

However Coun David Leaf, who represents Longlands ward, calculated that there were 57 per cent less trains to London terminals compared to a normal Saturday morning (between 6.30-9.30am).

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The councillor also claimed there was a 70 reduction at peak times compared to a normal weekday, whilst commuters were further inconvenienced by the closure of London Bridge, Cannon Street, Waterloo East and Charing Cross stations to Southeastern customers.

Many commuters will have paid high peak fares for their journeys to work this week (December 29-31), despite receiving a less frequent service on the Sidcup, Bexleyheath and Greenwich lines.

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Coun Leaf said: "Commuters already facing severe disruption are being misled by Southeastern.

"Local residents from Bexley who need to commute into London to work will be hit by a triple whammy of disruption from the London Bridge upgrade works, fewer services and the inevitable overcrowding which will occur.

"There may also be shorter formed trains during this period and local commuters, paying peak fares for an off-peak service, will feel short-changed.

"We all know that upgrade works to London Bridge are important, but the replacement services put in place by Southeastern are thoroughly inadequate."

Coun Leaf found that, between 6.30 and 9.30am

On a regular weekday, there are 60 direct services to London terminals: 

  • 19 services from Sidcup to London terminals (11 Charing Cross, 8 Cannon Street).
  • 25 services from Bexleyheath to London terminals (10 Charing Cross, 8 Cannon Street, 7 Victoria).
  • 16 services from Belvedere to London terminals (16 to Cannon Street).

On a regular Saturday, there are 41 direct services to London terminals:

  • 10 services from Sidcup to London terminals (6 Charing Cross, 4 Cannon Street).
  • 16 services from Bexleyheath to London terminals (6 Charing Cross, 4 Cannon Street, 6 Victoria).
  • 15 services from Belvedere to London terminals (15 Cannon Street).

On Tuesday December 29, there were 18 direct services to London terminals:

  • 6 services from Sidcup to London terminals (6 Blackfriars).
  • 12 services from Bexleyheath to London terminals (12 Victoria).
  • 0 services from Belvedere to London terminals (NB: 6 terminating at Lewisham).

His research was conducted by checking times of train services advertised through the National Rail Enquiries website.

A Southeastern spokesman said: "We have always said we would be running a reduced Saturday level of service due to having only three London terminals to use instead of the normal six over the Christmas period.

"During the Christmas period - for ten days between Christmas Eve and January 4 - we have been unable to run trains to and from Cannon Street, Charing Cross, London Bridge or Waterloo East due to major Network Rail engineering work.

"Instead, we have served Blackfriars, Victoria and New Cross for the London Overground.

"This engineering work has also meant we have been unable to run Greenwich Line trains at all, which normally six per hour head into London."