Commuters are to get 300 extra spaces at a busy railway station as part of a £1.1 million upgrade by train operators Southeastern.

Staplehurst station will also get improvements to CCTV and lighting with the existing car park upgraded and expanded into a previously neglected piece of land.

Work on the scheme - part of a £78m programme of investment - is set to be completed by the autumn.

Steve Martin, facilities project manager at Southeastern said: “We’re pleased to be able to make this investment in expanding the car park at Staplehurst station as we know it's what a lot of our regular customers have been asking for.

"Over the next few months people should begin to see a big difference."

Local MP, Helen Grant, added: "I have, over recent years, shared with Southeastern a range of my constituents’ concerns about the Staplehurst station car park and I also hope that this will be part of a wider drive to boost capacity and facilities at our rural stations across Maidstone and the Weald.”