High speed train timetable revealed between Ashford, Folkestone and London
A draft of the timetable for
high-speed services to London from east Kent has been seen by the
Kentish Express, revealing journey times of under 40 minutes from
Ashford to the capital.
And the fares premium will be 20
per cent, as opposed to the 30 per cent some people had feared
would be imposed.
The villages of Sturry and Minster
will get a high-speed service off-peak, but Sandling and Wye remain
without.
Passengers travelling from
Ebbsfleet to London will pay a premium of 35 per cent, but
passengers from Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone and Ashford will pay
the 20 per cent.
This will apply for the section of
the journey on the high-speed line and not the whole route.
Fares could be frozen this year as
negative inflation is predicted for this summer, when the fares are
set.
Southeastern's fares structure is
set at three per cent above the Retail Price Index, and deflation
is expected to be minus three per cent.
According to the draft timetable,
commuters from Folkestone West will get to Stratford (for Docklands
Light Railway and Jubilee line) in 40 minutes and St Pancras in 57
minutes in the morning peak.
For instance, the 0708 from Dover
picks up at Folkestone Central at 0720, Folkestone West at 0722,
joins a service from Margate and leaves Ashford at 0743, arriving
at Stratford at 0812 and St Pancras at 0819.
Folkestone and Kent County Cllr
Susan Carey, who was the high speed rail consultant to the Channel
Tunnel and was British Rail’s first woman station manager, said: "I
think it is great, although tinged with disappointment that we
didn’t get Sandling a service, but it is good news, and very good
for Folkestone.
"In Folkestone and Dover we
understand what a real difference these trains are going to make to
our areas now we have the plan."
In the peak hours when trains join
at Ashford, some services have up to 11 minutes allowed for the
operation, although others are quicker.
Thus, passengers on the 0715 from
Canterbury will arrive in Ashford at 0732 and then sit still until
0743, when it will have been joined by a Dover train.
Hourly off-peak high-speed trains
do not join but go straight through, giving Ashford a half-hourly
service to St Pancras at 13 and 43 minutes past the hour, with a
journey time of 38 minutes.
Only off-peak trains call at
Ebbsfleet, so early morning Eurostars will still not be feasible
for those travelling by train.
Sample off-peak journeys:
Margate 0953, Broadstairs 0959,
Ramsgate 1005, Canterbury West 1025, Ashford 1043, Ebbsfleet 1103,
Stratford 1115 and St Pancras 1121.
Or Dover 0944, Folkestone Central
0956, Folkestone West 0958, Ashford 1013, Ebbsfleet 1033, Stratford
1045, St Pancras 1051.
Return services run to similar
timings during the peaks and otherwise.
01/05/09
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