Thousands lose City line

Thousands of workers in the City are protesting at plans to scrap a raft of commuter train services into the Square Mile.

Brokers, bankers and leading City names combined to condemn proposals which would leave thousands without a direct train service.

They claim the plans will hit up to 63,500 City workers who travel from Kent into Blackfriars, Cannon Street and London Bridge.

They also argue that the Strategic Rail Authority plans do not take account of an expected leap in the number of people employed in the City over the next 11 years.

Michael Farrow, the leader of the revolt, said: "Commuters are not commodities - they are people, and in many cases important people, working in vital and demanding jobs in the City.

"It is absolutely vital to have the right infrastructure in place for these people. Those who live in Kent, where they and their families have put down roots, cannot suddenly move near to a rail station where services might be improved at the expense of the station near them."

Mr Farrow has persuaded the Corporation of London to protest.

The changes are due to start in 2009 and will see 17 stations in Kent and East Sussex lose direct services to the City. Instead trains will run into Victoria.

The reduced service is to be phased in alongside the launch of a 140mph service from Ashford which will take only 35 minutes. Rail planners hope to persuade people to abandon smaller and slower local services in favour of travelling to Ashford then catching the fast link into Stratford or King's Cross.

The company which wins the Integrated Kent Franchise, effectively replacing Connex South East, which was sacked, will be able to charge up to 35 per cent more for commuters to use the high-speed service, putting up to £600 a year on season tickets. An SRA spokesman said the changes would mean a "much better service for the vast majority".

He added: "The fast service is more than twice as fast as the current service - even with changes it will be a much quicker journey for most.

"The Square Mile is enormously important to the country, but the thought that every single station between the coast and the capital has to have a direct service into it is nonsense."