STAFF at Southeastern, which provides train services between London and north Kent, have voted in favour of strike action in response to job cuts.

Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport union voted in a ballot after cuts to platform and gateline staff.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "Southeastern have got the nerve to jack up fares while hacking back on platform operations that will compromise safety and security, delay and disrupt the dispatch process and put their staff in the firing line as and when things go wrong.”

A Southeastern spokesman said while the result of the ballott was “disappointing”, that the staff changes had already been implemented at London Victoria and Charing Cross, and were working well.