►►Javelin trains will run on Britain's only high speed railway this Boxing Day after the Government accepted the need for a rail service to make shopping at the sales easier.◀◀

A half-hourly service will operate between Ashford International, Ebbsfleet International, Stratford International and St Pancras International to allow shoppers to get to the new Westfield shopping centre at Stratford, as well as to central London, by using HS1.

Rail passengers may also be able to get to Bluewater shopping centre, which is two miles from Ebbsfleet International station where Javelin trains stop.

In theory there is a bus service between Ebbsfleet and Bluewater, but on Boxing Day only a very limited Arriva-operated bus service is running. Ring Traveline for details on 0871 200 2233 or go to TSE

Transport Minister Norman Baker, said: "We have devised a unique agreement to enable Southeastern and HS1 to make it easier for their passengers to get to the sales following Christmas, which will provide more services at no cost to the Government."

The rail services are being offered by a collaboration between the UK’s Department for Transport, Southeastern and HS1 Ltd.

The managing director of Southeastern, Charles Horton, said, "We are really pleased to offer this trial Boxing Day service for our passengers thanks to the collaboration with HS1 and the DfT.

"Our high speed Javelin service will transport people from Ashford to St Pancras International in just 37 minutes, and 19 minutes from Ebbsfleet. We are also pleased to offer free parking at these two stations for Boxing Day so everyone has a little bit extra to spend in the sales."

Apart from Javelin, Southeastern will not be running any other rail services on Boxing Day.

The only other trains on Boxing Day are:

Eurostar, which will be running a near-normal service on Boxing Day to Paris and Brussels. ES

Gatwick Express, which will be running a half-hourly service. GX

Southern, which will be running a limited service on the Brighton line.SN

In Scotland, a Sunday service will run on some routes. SR

For mostrail passengers, however,Boxing Day is a classic example of how the Government and the rail industry continue to let them down.