SOUTHERN overnight train services are to be scrapped so engineers can carry out more maintenance in the early hours.

From May 21, Southern services between Brighton and London Victoria will not run in the early hours between Monday and Friday mornings.

Presently services run at 00:05, 01:00 and 04:00 from Victoria to Brighton.

When the new timetable is implemented from May 21, the final service from the capital to Brighton will leave at 00:07.

There will be Thameslink services which depart London Blackfriars at 04:05 and 04:35 to Brighton.

If heading to the capital the last service currently departs Brighton at 00:10. This will remain the same under the new timetable.

The Southern night service will be retained in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday when there is most demand.

Passengers with Southern tickets wishing to travel between East Croydon, Gatwick Airport and Brighton will be able to use Thameslink services from London Blackfriars instead.

Gatwick Express has no overnight services between 11.30pm and 5am and this will continue.

The initiative will give Network Rail more time to carry out essential maintenance and improvement work overnight on the very congested Brighton Main Line and help deliver elements of £300 million improvement plan announced by the Government in January.

Network Rail said it will improve the reliability of services and reduce delays for Southern’s 300,000 commuters each day.

Passengers are advised to check before they travel by visiting nationalrail.co.uk.