WEST Kent commuters have attacked train operator Connex South Eastern over their dissatisfaction with its main line service to London.

The Tonbridge and District Railway Travellers' Association has issued a statement on behalf of passengers from Tonbridge, Hildenborough and Paddock Wood.

The TDRTA represents some 450 commuters and spokesman David Bower said: "In recent weeks trains from this part of Kent have become so unreliable and overcrowded that we have written to Connex chief executive Olivier Brousse expressing very grave concern about the services offered by the company."

The letter criticises Connex for "persistent cancellations, short trains due to stock shortages an inadequate information, all combining to cause severe frustrations for customers who pay very high fares."

Connex boss Mr Brousse is due to visit Tunbridge Wells on March 21 to address a meeting called by local Tory MP, Archie Norman, to review Connex's promise of improvements made at a similar meeting a year ago.

But Mr Bower, for the TDRTA, stressed: "We are calling upon Mr Brousse to take immediate action to restore services to a standard which, after all, travellers pay for and have a reasonable right to demand."