High speed service to reach Sandwich & Deal, Kent

Rail users from Sandwich and Deal will have a new high speed rail service from 3 October 2011 thanks to the support of Kent County Council.

The new service aims to ‘boost business confidence and support new employment opportunities in the area at the same time as Pfizer withdraws from its Sandwich site.’

At the Kent Rail Summit at County Hall, Leader of Kent County Council Paul Carter announced their support for the new peak service for rail travellers from Sandwich and Deal which will slash the journey time to London to approximately 90 minutes.

It will provide 3 trains to London in the morning leaving Sandwich at 0551, 0617 and 0647 and calling at Deal 5 minutes later. Trains will return from St Pancras at 1740 and 1840.

The new service will build on the high speed connections to be provided by Southeastern for the Open Golf Championship in Sandwich, in July, and was a specific recommendation of the recent report to Ministers by the Sandwich Economic Development Task Force.

The cost of this new service is approximately £151,000, but costs will reduce the more that the services are used. KCC is also lobbying the Department for Transport for an exemption to the current franchise agreement which will make further savings on the cost.

KCC Leader and Chairman of the Sandwich Economic Development Task Force Paul Carter stated:

“Journey times to Sandwich and Deal will be slashed by the introduction of this new High Speed service which will provide an immediate boost to business and job prospects in the area and has long been called for by local residents.

“We’ve worked closely with Southeastern, local MPs and Dover District Council to secure the service at minimum cost. At a time of exceptional need for the area with the exit of Pfizer in 2012, we were determined to provide new high speed links which would support local businesses and attract new investment into the area. It’s great news and a real boost to Sandwich and Deal.”