South Western Railway services set for 'major changes' with fewer trains running

South Western Railway have warned passengers that fewer trains will be running from certain areas with proposed cuts being announced.

However, residents still have an opportunity to prevent these services being axed by taking part in the consultation process.

SWR has launched a consultation into a review of services which is set to result in changes to the timetables.

Rail passengers who regularly use the services at Earlsfield, Wandsworth Town, Putney and Queenstown Road are those who are likely to be the worst affected, with fewer trains calling at these stations from December next year.

The main changes being proposed by South Western Railway are:

- Queenstown Road to lose four trains per hour in both directions during off-peak times plus other rush hours services. This represents a 50 per cent cut in trains stopping here.

- Earlsfield to lose two trains per hour off-peak. There would no longer be direct services to Shepperton, meaning that direct services to Kingston would be every half hour rather than every fifteen minutes.

- Wandsworth Town and Putney to lose two local stopping trains every hour, which would particularly hit Wandsworth Town which is not served by the semi-fast services that stop at Putney.

The council's transport spokesman Councillor John Locker said: "It is of crucial importance that local people who rely on train services to and from these stations take part in this consultation and let the bosses at South Western Railway know what they think of these proposals.

"In my view they are unacceptable. Reducing services on these key lines is ill-founded and ill-considered. In my view, there is no justification for proposing reducing services at the end of next year when we need to be encouraging people to use trains to avoid a car-based recovery.

"Development in Nine Elms and central Wandsworth requires a good service at Queenstown Road and Wandsworth Town.

"And at a time when councils like Wandsworth are taking steps to tackle climate change and encouraging greater use of public transport, this would be a retrograde step that could lead to greater car use, worse air quality and bigger carbon emissions.

"I would urge everyone who uses these services and also those who believe in the value of a vibrant and diverse public transport network to take part in the rail company's consultation and make sure their voices are heard."

To find out more about the consultation, go to the South Western Railway website.

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