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The railway is still an important means of transport around here, and probably plays a part in some people's decisions to settle in Hartley. While I do know of some people who commute from other stations (eg. Dartford), I think it is fair to assume most people locally who use the train will travel from Longfield.

Train Service

Currently the train service is as set out below. However there are sometimes larger gaps eg. There are no trains to London between 6.33 am and 7,13 am, or between 8.55am and 9.46am. Victoria is the main destination served, although a few trains go direct to Blackfriars (passengers may also change at Bromley South to go to Blackfriars). Most passengers on peak hour services board the train after Chatham; Medway Council's figures from 2004 find only 100 passengers on average are on the stopping trains leaving Chatham in the morning peak (with capacities of 263 - 696).

No trains go to Cannon Street, although the Medway Towns - Cannon Street trains do pass through Longfield in the morning. In the past people have requested a Cannon Street service. Figures published by Medway Council in 2004 appear to show that most Cannon Street trains run at 95% capacity, but the last two at 8.06 and 8.25 from Chatham would appear to have considerable spare capacity.

The 1979 Village Appraisal called for more late night services to Longfield. A few years ago this was achieved, but later the company withdrew the 10.05pm and 11.05pm trains from Longfield.

Usage

Of all the local stations, Longfield is by far the most used. Although many more people use the larger Swanley station (2002/3 figures supplied by Strategic Rail Authority under the Freedom of Information Act).

A survey of 1,000 households near Farningham Road station in April 2004 found 330 people (10%) used peak time trains, and 80% of households claim to use the train at some time. The most popular destination in peak time is Victoria, but off-peak it is Bromley South.

It is difficult to estimate a breakdown between work and leisure journeys. We do know from the 2001 census that 926 people in Hartley and Hodsoll Street (284), Longfield and Southfleet (301) and Ash (341) say they travel to work by train, which should suggest that well over half of journeys are for work.

Rail - future proposals

In February 2004 the Strategic Rail Authority set out its proposals for train travel from 2007, when Ebbsfleet will be opened in "Integrated Kent Franchise: Train Service Specification". Their proposals would have meant little change to the number of trains at Longfield, but substantially fewer at Farningham Road, where there was a vigorous campaign against the proposals, resulting now in more trains in peak hours for them. The revised service pattern following the consultation has also rewarded Longfield with 2 extra peak hour trains to Cannon Street.

The big unknown is the numbers who may commute from Hartley to Ebbsfleet with its thousands of parking spaces. The SRA have done research on likely use, but it is "Commercial in Confidence".

From 2007 the SRA now propose for Longfield

Peter Mayer
February 2005