A new £44million train station – previously dubbed a “mugger’s paradise” – will now be staffed seven days a week.

Thanet Parkway, in Cliffsend, opened in July last year and offers high-speed, 75-minute journeys to London St Pancras and easy parking.

But the isolated nature of the new station, between Ramsgate and Minster, saw safety concerns raised by councillors.

It is currently staffed Monday to Friday, but starting March 1, this will increase to seven days a week.

A spokesman for Southeastern said: “The opening of Thanet Parkway is an important part of our goal to deliver a better, more reliable railway, and we are really pleased that customer numbers have been rising steadily over the last six months.

“The station has been staffed from Monday to Friday since the opening day, and following a recruitment drive, it will now be staffed 8am to 4pm seven days a week from Friday, March 1st.

“Accessible toilet facilities will be available during this time.

“Thanet Parkway is a major investment for the local community, and to support it further we are also looking to add some extra services when our new timetable starts in June.”

The news will no doubt be welcomed by those who raised safety concerns over the station.

Kent County councillor Barry Lewis (Lab) previously told KentOnline of his fears.

He said: “It will be a mugger’s paradise because we have no on-platform staff and no monitored CCTV.

“CCTV that is unmanned only records crime - it doesn’t stop it.”

Cllr Lewis also called the scheme a “white elephant” and feared the new infrastructure will be underutilised.

“We already have more railway stations per population than anywhere else in the county”, he said last July, “most people in Thanet will have to bypass an existing station to get to the new one.”

Rail and county hall bosses have defended the station which they say will encourage economic growth.

They also believe it will future-proof the area from an expected surge in commuters once thousands of new homes are built in the district.