ALTON Line Users' Association members were hoping to get MPs on board this week in their fight for improvements to a 2005 train timetable which they believe treats them as "third class citizens".
Farnham MP Virginia Bottomley was due to host an urgent meeting at Westminster on Wednesday afternoon, attended by those members whose constituents will be affected by South West Trains' decision to slow down the service.
They, like Mrs Bottomley, are concerned about the impact of the new timetable on what she describes as the Alton/Farnham to Waterloo "transport life-line".
Due to come into effect on December 11, the new timetable has been condemned as "unacceptable" offering as it will a reduction in off-peak service which, coupled with restrictions imposed by single-track working between Alton and Farnham, will result in a significant increase in journey times.
In future trains taking 64 minutes will take up to 82 minutes to complete the journey - the slow-down being due to a decision by SWT to schedule the majority of trains to stop at Surbiton, West Byfleet and Brookwood.
The news has resulted in the raising of a petition by commuters demanding retention of the current level of service.
ALUA chairman Chris Campbell can see no reason why any of the Alton line trains should stop at Brookwood.
"Very few people actually get on the train off-peak at Brookwood," he said.
Instead, ALUA members are preparing to put up a fierce fight in support of Bentley passengers where the proposal is to make up time by bypassing the station.
The Herald has received a mounting pile of copied correspondence between disgruntled commuters and SWT, complaining about the proposed reduction in service and, in particular, the decision to axe Bentley as a stopping place for the majority of trains. Passengers fail to understand the logic behind a decision to cut them out of the loop for the sake of two to three minutes.
John Bradsteet said he can see no logic in the decision when some trains in the afternoons bypass Bentley only to sit for an hour-and-a-half at Alton.
John Turner regularly returns home after 8 pm and notes that several of the trains he regularly uses will no longer stop at Bentley, a fact which will cause "considerable inconvenience".
"Stopping the train at Bentley to let a dozen passengers off takes two or three minutes at most - what possible reason can there be for withdrawing this facility?" he asked.
Speaking of a "very substantial deterioration in the service" to be provided to those who use the Alton line, Jonathan Clare pointed out that the new "self-styled" peak hour will bear no relation to the hours those who work in London have to keep, especially in the evenings.
And, while sorry for the poor rail services suffered by those who live on the outskirts of London, he pointed out that they have public transport alternatives which long-distance commuters do not.
It is one of the points made by Virginia Bottomley who, in a statement to the press this week, pointed out that a vast number of local people depend on the Alton line to commute to work, school or college.
"At a time when there is huge pressure on our roads, and Farnham frequently faces gridlock during the rush hour, it is essential that people can depend on a reliable and effective train service that serves their requirements and helps to protect the environment for us all."
"But," she warned, "while people fully appreciate the financial restrictions faced by SWT, it is deeply disappointing that the company now intends, with its December 2004 timetable, to add additional stops in both directions, which will add eight to 15 minutes to the current journey time.
"Equally worrying is the plan, in some cases, to delete the existing stop at Clapham Junction. This vastly adds flexibility to London commuters."
Mrs Bottomley has received a large volume of correspondence on the subject. In calling Wednesday's meeting of MPs and ALUA members, Mrs Bottomley said: "Together we will plan our next steps to secure this vital link for our constituents."