May 2022 timetable fails to increase capacity

Southeastern and Southern will begin a new timetable on Sunday 15 May but neither operator is taking the opportunity to substantially increase capacity.

Southeastern’s timetable is largely a rollover the timetable that’s been operating for the last few months. The only major benefit is that a few extra trains will run on the Ashford-Paddock Wood-Charing Cross route on Sundays. This will give a half hourly service during the mid morning and late afternoon/early evening, when services are at their most busy. This is a partial win for Tonbridge Line Commuters. We had requested a half hourly service on the route all weekend, but periods of hourly service will remain on both Saturday and Sunday. At these times the service between Tonbridge and Charing Cross is just three trains an hour.

We did request an extra train from Charing Cross around 22:30 on weekday evenings given that trains at this time can be very busy, as shown by Southeastern’s SeatFinder tool. Unfortunately, this proposal was rejected by Southeastern. Instead, the 22:40 service from Charing Cross to Tonbridge and Paddock Wood will be lengthened to a 12 carriages to give some much needed extra capacity.

On Southern there is no change to the timetable on the Tonbridge-Redhill line. This will continue to run half hourly on weekdays in peak hours and school times, and hourly at other times.