Public consultAtions

There will be a series of public consultation events in Kent on the future train operator for the Southeastern franchise.

The whole consultation will run for 10 weeks and closes on Tuesday, May 23. These will take place at: Station concourse, Sevenoaks, on Monday, April 10 from 4pm to 7pm

County Hall, Maidstone, on Tuesday, April 11 from 4.30pm to 7pm both ticket buying and compensation if things do go wrong.”

Cllr Matthew Balfour, Kent County Council (KCC) transport chief, said: “We welcome this consultation by DfT and would encourage everyone who uses the rail service in Kent to take part.

“This consultation will help KCC to ensure the best rail service for all passengers using the new franchise.”

Passenger numbers on railway lines connecting London with the county are forecast to rise by 47% by 2044 – and a massive 127% on high speed trains to and from St Pancras International.

A spokesman at Southeastern said: “We’re focused on delivering our current franchise and will continue to invest over £70

Civic Centre, Gravesend, on Tuesday, May 9, from 4pm to 7pm

Westgate Hall, Canterbury, on Wednesday, May 10 from 4pm to 7pm

To respond online visit www.gov.uk/government/ consultations/future-ofsouth-eastern-rail-services. million in improvements in the areas that matter most to our passengers.

“Our recent national rail passenger survey customer satisfaction scores have risen, reflecting that passengers are noticing the improvements being made but we know there is still more work to do and we will continue to work with Network Rail to improve the experience passengers have when travelling with us.”

Consideration is also being given to the possibility of an Ashford to Faversham rail link.

What improvements would you like to see to rail services? Write to Kentish Express, 34-36 North Street, Ashford, TN24 8JR or email kentishexpress@ thekmgroup.co.uk.