by Sian Napier
snapier@thekmgroup.co.uk

Canterbury could lose its high speed rail service during the Olympic Games in 2012.

Railway company Southeastern, as part of its franchise agreed in 2006, must hand over all its high speed trains to the Olympic organising committee during the games’ fortnight.

During that period Southeastern will have no control over what service is provided by the high speed link and will have no say in any timetables.

Southeastern spokesman Jon Hay-Campbell said: “It was always the plan that we should hand over these trains for the Olympic organising committee to do with as it wanted.

"We shall have no control over what service we can run during that period.

"The service has to change during the Olympics and will not be a normal one but exactly what form it will take we are still waiting to find out.

"We do not know for sure if there will be a service through Canterbury or not. We are not ruling anything in or out."

Mr Hay-Campbell said the trains may be used to run a service only between St Pancras, Stratford and Ebbsfleet and back to St Pancras.

He expected to have a decision on the timetable and routes by the end of this year or early next year.

“We have no choice in this as when we took over the franchise in 2006 we were told we would have to hand over the high speed trains during the Olympics,” he said.

“As soon as we know anything we will let our passengers know.”