Plans for airport-style random scans at train stations and security checks with armed police are being drawn up in an effort to thwart suicide bombers.

Any of the 20,000 passengers who pass through Brighton station each day could be made to pass through scanners which can see through clothes, be scrutinised by armed police and have their bags checked by X-ray machines or sniffer dogs.

A great deal of the technology, which may also be introduced at Gatwick, is already used on air travellers.

Inspector Gary Ancell, the head of Brighton Transport Police, said he would welcome the measures which the Government began trialling at Paddington and Heathrow railway stations yesterday.

But commuter groups have dismissed the plans as a huge waste of money and warned they could lead to major delays in peak hours.

Unlike at airports, passenger numbers mean not everyone on the trains could be checked. There would be a mixture of random and targeted searches and scans.

The move comes in response to the July 7 terror attacks in the capital and Brighton is viewed as an "ideal" second location if the London trials are deemed a success.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: "Brighton is certainly one of the places they could go if the trials are successful. There is nothing being ruled out at the moment."

Mr Ancell, based at Brighton station, said: "I would welcome any measure which protects the public.

"Brighton would be an ideal location for them and I would say Gatwick would be another likely and suitable location.

"I certainly wouldn't have any problem with them here but we've got to wait to see what the results of the trials in London are."

Commuter groups labelled the plan "ridiculous".

Jo deBank from Travelwatch, said: "It will be a complete waste of money in our view and it will mean already struggling commuters will face longer delays as they battle to get on to the platforms."

Shelley Atlas, chairman of Brighton Line Commuters said: "Security is obviously a very important issue for commuters but none of us want to be delayed.

"The security man at Brighton Station is already exceptionally good."

Southern Railway, which runs Brighton station said the new measure would be welcome if security improved.

Spokesman Marcid Greenage told The Argus: "Clearly we would have to speak to the Department for Transport if they were going to be built to make sure there were not delays or to mitigate for them if they were going to cause delays.

"At the moment we are fined if trains are late so we would be asking for special dispensation from the department to make up for it."

Transport Secretary Alistair Darling has ordered the trials at an estimated cost of £1 million in London.