New trains have been introduced and will create a "more reliable" service for passengers, say rail firm bosses.

Operator Southeastern has extended its fleet with the addition of its new Class 707 City Beam.

It plans to have added 30 new trains in total - with 24 now in use and on the track.

They have been described by the company as "modern, air-conditioned trains, refreshed and refurbished to Southeastern’s standards" and "are part of the train operator’s drive to provide a better, more reliable and sustainable railway".

It means just six are left to be up and running, having first started on lines in Dartford and Grove Park and Hayes in London in September 2021.

The City Beam route is available for passengers in Greenhithe, Bromley, Sevenoaks and Gravesend, although does not run further south in the county.

Southeastern’s engineering director Mark Johnson said: “The upgrade of our train fleet is just one aspect of our drive towards a better, more reliable and more sustainable railway.

“Our Class 707 ‘City Beam’ trains are lighter, with open, accessible interiors including two wheelchair spaces every five carriages, plus bigger windows flooding the train with light.

"The air-conditioned carriages with improved ventilation and heating will mean a more pleasant travelling environment whatever the time of year.

“They’re also smarter trains, with better on-board information showing space available in each carriage, plus free Wi-Fi and handy plug sockets so you can keep charged up and connected”.

The train operator, which serves Kent, South East London and parts of East Sussex, is also close to upgrading its Mainline Class 375 fleet – its main class of train which has been in use since 2000.

The upgrade, due to be completed by March 2024, will see three-point plugs and USB power sockets added to the trains for the first time, as well as new LED lighting.

Energy metering will also be operational – technology which, like smart meters at home, will allow Southeastern to better understand the amount of energy it is using to power its trains.

The operator is also in the process of refurbishing its Class 395 high-speed service, which take passengers from Ashford to Ebbsfleet before arriving at London St Pancras, for example.

Two of its 29 trains have now been upgraded, including improvements to its carpets and seats, plus USB at-seat charging.

The 375 upgrade programme has cost in the region of £10m, with a further £27m being spent for the class 395 improvements.