Rail group slams non-stop trains

The company said the changes would improve things for most passengers

The number of trains calling at several stations in Nottinghamshire has been cut by up to half, users have said.

East Midlands Trains has speeded up services from Nottingham to Lincoln on its winter timetable.

But the Campaign for Better Transport has complained this has been done by having services stop at fewer stations, leaving some commuters without a train.

The company said the changes had been made after extensive consultation and any complaints would be considered.

David Thornhill from the Campaign for Better Transport believed stations like Netherfield, Radcliffe on Trent and Aslockton would be badly affected.

Commuter woe

He said: "If you take a quick look at the timetable you would think that little had changed and there were the same number of trains.

"But on closer inspection you will see that they are not stopping and what you have is an express service rather than a local service."

He added: "Some of the smaller villages, like Aslockton, which do have a number of commuters going into Nottingham are suffering very badly - perhaps a 50% cut in services.

"And this is true of other stations in the Nottingham area so we are not talking about just one or two trains, we are talking about 50 - 60% of your stopping train service being cut."

Stakeholders' voice

A spokesman for East Midlands Trains defended the changes.

"We have improved the service overall. Those stations which are getting fewer services have very small numbers using them.

"We carried out extensively consultation and have in fact reinstated services to some stations in the light of what stakeholders have told us."

The winter timetable comes into force on 14 December.