MAJOR changes to train timetables come into effect tomorrow.

Thousands of commuters across Hampshire will be affected by the changes -- the most drastic since 1967.

They will have an impact on every one of South West Trains' 1,635 services a day with more peak time services and more frequent departures.

The old winter and summer timetables have been scrapped in favour of one timetable which will run throughout the year.

South West Trains has also promised that more staff will be at stations to keep passengers informed.

A company spokesman said the new timetable was more in tune with the demands of the modern traveller.

She said: "We have taken all possible steps to make the public aware of the changes.

"We have been making announcements on trains and at stations, putting up banners, publishing leaflets, circulating information in the media and having our train guards tell passengers.

"This is a big change and we have been putting out as much information as possible."

She added that the public had expressed mixed opinions.

"We have been looking at the bigger picture and believe we come up with changes that people will like," she said.

"There will be winners and there will be losers, but hopefully people will view these changes as improvements."

Included in the changes are allowances for extra time at certain stations that will increase some journey times.

Travelling from Southampton Central station to London Waterloo is expected to take up to seven minutes more than currently.

Approximately 143 million journeys a year are made on South West Trains, which is currently upgrading its fleet.

The firm is removing all the old slam-door trains and has pledged to replace them with modern, state of the art trains that are quieter with sliding doors and closed-circuit TV by March.

The new train timetables are available from the National Rail Enquiries website www.nationalrail.co.uk, at www.southwestrains.co.uk or from railway stations.