CONNEX has apologised to commuters for recent delays on the Paddock Wood line. Rail passengers have been blighted by severely disrupted services for months.

Tunbridge Wells MP Archie Norman, whose constituency includes Paddock Wood, said that passengers were "fed up" with the continual problems.

"Connex have finally recognised that we're totally fed up with the delays," said Mr Norman. "Commuters trying to get to London for a day's work are frequently faced with problems and a dearth of passenger information."

Mr Norman wrote to managing director of Connex, Olivier Brousse, demanding an immediate meeting to find out why trains have been so severely affected. In a reply to Mr Norman, Connex admitted that "constant apologies were not enough" and that it was time the company "got it right".

A Connex spokeswoman said that because of a particularly heavy leaf fall in autumn, a backlog of debris had been left to clear. New sliding door trains that should have been introduced on the line two years ago are still being tested because technical difficulties have been found with them.

It is hoped these will finally be introduced within the next two years. The spokeswoman added: "Increasingly unreliable older trains have not been replaced on time and a combination of disruptive events has led to problems. We hope passengers on the line will start to see an improvement soon."