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Written question asked by Tom Tugendhat (Conservative) on Thursday, 12 March 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 16 March 2026. It was answered by Keir Mather (Labour) on Thursday, 19 March 2026 on behalf of the Department for Transport.


Maidstone Line: Overcrowding

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to help reduce overcrowding on peak time services on the Maidstone East line.

Answer

Southeastern (SET) have plans to improve services, increase capacity and reduce crowding to/from Maidstone East from May 2026. These include the reintroduction of Mainline services to London Blackfriars at peak times from Maidstone East; additional services between Charing Cross and Maidstone East on weekdays; and more off-peak services between London Victoria and Ashford International via Maidstone East.

SET are also exploring further options for the December 2026 timetable.

SET are always exploring the possibility of providing extra capacity where needed. This is not always feasible due to a variety of reasons, including platform lengths, rolling stock availability and funding considerations.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
120389
Session
2024-26
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Overcrowding Maidstone line
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk