It is however not true to state that this would be a slow service, in the sense that the Sevenoaks via Bat & Ball to Blackfriars is a slow stopping service calling at all stations on its route. The new service to/from Maidstone East would more accurately be described as semi-fast and would be expected to take an average of about 65 or 66 minutes to/from Blackfriars. This would represent an increase in journey time of 20% when compared with the original proposal, and not 33% as has been reported. The stopping pattern of the new service is yet to be agreed by the Department for Transport, which now controls all aspects of the train operating companies, but it would be expected to call at West Malling, Borough Green & Wrotham, Otford, Swanley, Bromley South, Denmark Hill and Elephant & Castle only before terminating at Blackfriars. Unlike the slow Bat & Ball service, it would not call at all the intermediate stations on the Catford loop line. This is far from ideal and does fall short of the original goal as set out in LTP4, and which remains Kent County Council’s ultimate goal for this service, but it is the only realistic option for the new service at present.