A town that has been without direct train services to London for almost four decades could see them return.
Since 1989, passengers heading to the capital from Sheerness have had to get off at Sittingbourne and wait for a connecting train.
However, KentOnline can exclusively reveal that Southeastern is looking to bring back a direct service between London and the seaside town.
It is understood the company is in the very early stages of exploring a trial which would test whether a permanent arrangement is viable.
The route is already popular, with more than 57,800 people travelling between Sittingbourne and Sheerness stations in 2024 on average every month, up from 2019 when it was more than 56,000.
The actual number of passengers – more than 677,000 over the course of last year – is thought to be higher than the data Southeastern holds, due to those who fail to pay for tickets.
Labour MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey, Kevin McKenna, has written to Southeastern, asking it to bring the direct line back.
He says Sheerness would benefit from a “double whammy” of better access to higher-paid jobs and a boost in tourism.
The MP said: “If people are working and able to get higher-paid jobs, they’ll be spending more money in the community here.
“But also, the clue’s in the name, Sheerness-on-Sea; it is a seaside resort.
“It would be really great as people could actually get onto the Island easily in the summer and enjoy our fantastic beaches.
“I think everyone who lives on Sheppey knows that transport around here is really challenging and it takes a long time to get off and on the Island.
MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey, Kevin McKenna, is lobbying Southeastern to bring back direct services to and from London to Sheerness. Picture: Joe Crossley
“What’s really important is how people can access work and employment, and just being able to get out to London expands the number of jobs and opportunities for local people that they could take.”
Sheppey estate agent, Abby Riley, told KentOnline that house prices could go up by 10% if the services were to cut out the Sittingbourne stop.
This would mean the average house price in Sheerness would climb from just over £280,000 – based on Rightmove’s data – to around £310,000.
The 39-year-old, who works at Haarts in the town’s High Street and has 14 years of experience in the industry, said: “If there was a direct line, you would probably find more Londoners would come live here as you get a lot for your money with Island properties.
“It could see prices go up by as much as 10%.”
But Mr McKenna does not think a housing boom would be bad news for Sheerness residents who could be faced with higher prices.
He said: “What I do think it’s going to do is it’s going to enable people in the town to reconnect to a wider set of opportunities.
Sheerness High Street, on Sheppey. Picture: Joe Crossley
“At the same time, it means that we can start to look at what the town really needs in the future.
“If we’re going to rebuild this town and really build it up, then we need to reconnect it to London [with a direct line] and the economic engine of the country. That’s what will boost things around here.”
At the start of the 20th century, Sheerness had been a bustling tourist town backed by industries including the Royal Navy dock, which at the time of its closure in 1960 employed 2,500 highly skilled workers.
But it has declined after the industries left and has become one of England’s poorest towns.
Kent County Council’s 2020 deprivation report ranked Sheerness town centre as the most deprived area in Kent, and 48th out of 32,844 locations in the country.
Sheerness is one of England’s poorest towns, according to Kent County Council. Picture: Joe Crossley
However, the boss of the Criterion Museum says the line would “change things”, especially for tourism on the Island.
Jenny Hurkett, who founded the centre based in Blue Town, said: “It would help us enormously by building up our catchment area.
“We are not far from the station, so people could come and see us very easily.
“We could then offer them minibus tours of the Island, which we are running a trial on Friday (September 12) in the hope of bringing them back next season.
“Also, imagine the jobs it would offer young people. It would really change things.”
Jenny Hurkett of Sheppey’s Criterion Theatre
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A new rail service would provide a welcome boost alongside upgraded facilities which are coming as part of Swale council’s £20million Sheerness Revival scheme.
The project includes a new £430,000 adventure golf course, which opened in July, an extension to EKC Sheppey College, and improvements to Sheppey Leisure Complex and Healthy Living Centre.
Swale Council hopes the funds, which have come from the government, will help boost employment and leisure facilities in the town.
Job opportunities have also opened up on Sheppey in recent years, with Peel Ports in Sheerness announcing it was recruiting 50 new staff in June, and businesses moving to Walbrook Business Park and Neats Court in Queenborough.
Southeastern declined to comment as the scheme is in its very early stages.