Remarks from councillors that the cuts "do not affect them" personally, have simply made commuters even more angry.
The reduction in trains from London stopping at Liphook in the evening is part of South West Trains' shake-up of the timetable; it is introduced on December 12.
In compiling the new schedule, SWT consulted rail user groups and local authorities to get their views, an excercise which the parish council was originally a party to.
During that consultation, John Tough, representing the council, was successful, along with others, in lobbying SWT to halt an extra train at Liphook in the morning, as any proposed reduction in service would seriously affect the Bordon area's morning commuters.
However at last Monday's meeting of the parish's highways, byways and transport committee, Dr Tough admitted that he had completely "overlooked" the evening cuts.
"It is a bit embarrassing that we hadn't considered the trains in the evening," he told the meeting.
"We were aware there was a problem in the mornings, but we were distracted by that, and weren't conscious of a problem in the evening," he said.
After flicking through a timetable to see what the service would be like in the evening, Dr Tough was asked by the chairman of the committee, Jim Walters, "what the fuss was about" as it did not affect him:
"Well it doesn't really affect me," said Dr Tough, "as I travel from Clapham Junction and don't catch these faster trains."
After a brief discussion, the committee resolved to pursue halting one of the faster services at Liphook when the timetable changes for summer next year.
The comments at the meeting, where some councillors seemed unconcerned, have infuriated local commuters, who were already angry at the reduction in service.
"Oh, I'm very pleased that the decrease doesn't personally affect them" said Alison Finch, a local commuter, "but what about the community they are supposed to be representing? What about the commuters it does affect?" she said, "they've failed us."
She said she was amazed the parish was concerned about morning trains to Waterloo, but not those returning in the evening. "Do they think people just go up to London, and don't come back?" she said.
Ms Finch is campaigning to get a more regular service stopping at Liphook. "I am one of many, many commuters who will be severely disrupted due to the changes, and I have written to SWT with our concerns" said Ms Finch, an annual season ticket holder.
Under the current timetable there are three trains which run from Waterloo between 5-30 and 7 pm; the 5-51, the 6-15 and the 6-40 pm.
In the new timetable there will be only one train , at 6-15 pm.
Another commuter, Mark Finch, who is no relation, agrees with Ms Finch and believes many people are still unaware of the poor situation: "I don't think the penny has dropped with some people," he said, "but when it does they'll realise it's an absolute nightmare."
There will be a reduction in the morning London-bound trains stopping at Liphook before 8 pm, from eight trains to six.
This is however an improvement from proposals released earlier which showed only five trains stopping at Liphook. The extra train was added after SWT's consultation with local groups.




