ANGRY commuters using First Great Western evening trains from Southampton to Romsey have let off steam over new rail timetables which have led to the axing of vital peak hour services.

From this weekend, two First Great Western evening services running between Southampton Central and Salisbury via Romsey are being cancelled - leaving commuters with only one train an hour to get back home.

Rail users have been so angered by the changes that they have started a website to try to persuade rail bosses to change their minds and re-instate the axed services.

The new timetables for First Great Western come into force on Sunday. They will see the 5.27pm from Southampton and the 5.58pm from Southampton axed - forcing commuters to either take the 5.10pm or 6.10pm service to get home to Romsey.

However passengers say that the 5.10pm is too early for it to be convenient whilst the remaining late evening 6.10pm service is too late.

Campaigner Natalie Kitcher who works at Skandia UK in Southampton told the Daily Echo: "These trains are always packed with commuters, and now the only train you can get is the 5.10pm which is always busy and means leaving work dead on 5pm or the 6.10pm which is too late.

"I think this is ridiculous and many people have been campaigning against it.

"They have also made the 8.07am service from Romsey five minutes earlier and there is not another train that would get you to work before 9am."

Commuter Sarah Conlon, 28, from Hunters Crescent in Romsey added: "I usually get the 5.10pm but if I work late I have to get a later train.

"It will be a complete nightmare. It is going to be a major inconvenience. It means I will have to leave work exactly on time."

One commuter who did not want to be named said: "The 5.10pm from Southampton is crowded enough as it is. When these two services go, it will be unbearably overcrowded."

Glenda Lamont customer services director with First Great Western said the firm had carried out a major consultation on the new timetables with stakeholders, customers and other interest groups.

She said: "We studied the comments and suggestions in every single one of the thousands of emails and letters we received during the consultation and we were able to make extensive alterations to the timetable as a result of this feedback.

"However, it has not been possible to incorporate every suggestion and we realise that some customers will be disappointed.

"Over the next few months, we will continually monitor the new timetable and, if possible, we will make further modifications in the future.

"In the meantime, it's important that people get used to the new train times and that's why we've made sure the timetable is available from our website and stations in advance."

The December 2006 timetable can be downloaded fromFGW's website www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk. Timetable booklets are available from First Great Western stations.

Anyone wanting to sign up to the Romsey commuters' campaign can gain information by visiting the website www.saveourtrain.org.uk