Rail passengers have been complaining after major changes to Southeastern’s timetable are brought in today - leading to 20 months of disruption.

The changes are being brought in to coincide with the start of work on the operator’s platforms at London Bridge as part of a £6.5 billion improvement project.

Charing Cross services are being heavily affected.

Trains running to that station will be unable to stop at London Bridge until August 2016 and any customers using that line to get off at London Bridge should catch a Cannon Street service or change trains enroute.

But as the full force of the changes started to bite, Sumzie Jem Collier took to social media to say: "I hate your new timetable - screws up my journey.

"Why can't the 7.04 stop at Ebbsfleet? Don't need this after a night shift."

Emma Egan said: "So, the new timetable has made my journey WORSE. Well done Southeastern."

Pixie Bakes tweeted: "Well, the Southeastern passengers are all on time for the new timetable. Shame the trains aren't."

Sherif Kader reported that the new timetable was working "dreadfully".

A Southeastern spokesman said they had been having a high number of tweets this morning after the timetable.

They added: "All comments about our new timetable and the changes at London Bridge are being taken on board and will be fed back."

David Statham, managing director of Southeastern, said before the changes were introduced: “Our passengers, particularly those who use London Bridge station, will need to change their travel patterns while the work is carried out.

“Our new timetable is designed to provide a service that meets demand at a time when track capacity has much reduced, whilst also providing new journey opportunities, longer trains and later services.

“We consulted with our customers and stakeholders to develop our plans and this timetable balances the competing needs of passengers with the infrastructure constraints.”

Services to New Cross, St Johns, Deptford, Greenwich, Maze Hill and Westcombe Park will be permanently diverted from Charing Cross to Cannon Street.

There will also be two fewer services running this route during the morning peak and four fewer in the evening peak.

To make up for this Southeastern says longer trains will be run.

Charing Cross services to Plumstead, Woolwich Dockyard, Belvedere and Erith will also be diverted to run to or from Cannon Street.

Cannon Street station will be open for longer hours, from 5am to 1am.

Some trains from Rochester, Broadstairs, Ashford, Dover and Orpington may be diverted into London Blackfriars.

Services on the Catford Loop are no longer part of the Southeastern timetable.
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