Commuters upset over train cuts

Commuters in Northampton are speaking out about planned rail cuts.

A proposed reduction in direct services has been put forward by Silverlink, which had been asked to amend services by the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA).

Commuter Tina Langley told BBC Radio Northampton that having just one train an hour to Birmingham would inconvenience passengers.

But a spokesman for Silverlink said the SRA had ultimate authority over the timetable changes.

We are concerned this is going to add to our travel time quite considerably, but a lot of people don't seem to be aware of this Tina Langley

Graham Bashford said: "We've had an input into it (the service changes) and we've done the best that we can.

"But in terms of the sort of thing the passengers may want - such as more frequent service to Birmingham - we don't have any influence over that.

"Normally, when timetables come in, they are the result of negotiations between train operating companies, but in this situation, it is not.

"Only the Strategic Rail Authority can change this."

A spokeswoman for the SRA said the changes were necessary while the West Coast Main Line was being upgraded and the work would be completed in 2008.

She said: "In order to deliver those improvements there is a need to temporarily restrict some services - such as those between Northampton and the West Midlands whilst Rugby Station is rebuilt to remove a major bottleneck.

"Passengers will see some improvements from September this year, with more services and journey times from Birmingham to London cut by 15 minutes."

Spread awareness

But the improvements are little consolation to commuters like Ms Langley, who travels for hours to get to her job.

She said commuters were worried that having just one train per hour, along with proposed train changes at Rugby and changes at Coventry and Birmingham, would make their workdays even longer.

"We already have an 11-hour day, to do seven-and-a-half hours at work," she said.

"We are concerned this is going to add to our travel time quite considerably, but a lot of people don't seem to be aware of this."

She said commuters were planning to hand out leaflets at the station in Northampton to spread awareness of the issue.

Local members of the Rail Passengers Committee and the Northampton Rail Users Group have been in negotiations with the train company over the proposed changes to the direct rail service.

The SRA spokeswoman said stakeholders and passenger groups had been consulted over the timetables.