FURIOUS councillors are demanding action after rail services to Weymouth were cut this week.

As reported, operator South Western Railway (SWR) has axed a significant number of services on the Weymouth to London Waterloo line. A new timetable introduced on Monday brings a return to hourly services with the loss of some early and late trains.

Meanwhile a ‘seaside special’ which runs through Gillingham and Sherborne to Weymouth is to disappear from the South Western Railway schedule altogether.

Weymouth councillor Luke Wakeling has raised serious concerns about the impact on the local economy and has tabled a motion proposing that the town council campaigns for services to be reinstated.

Dorset Echo:

In a statement cllr Wakeling said: "The second service of the day, which departed Weymouth at 6.25am, has been removed. If you are working in London at 9am, this gives you under 10 minutes to get from Waterloo Station to your place of work.

"The last train leaves Waterloo at 8.35pm...This is too early for anyone to go to the theatre in London or to watch an evening football match in Southampton and get home to Weymouth afterwards."

At a meeting tonight councillors will vote on whether to adopt the motion. It would involve the authority writing to SWR's managing directors calling for better engagement and a review of the changes.

It would also involve canvassing local MPs Richard Drax and Chris Loder for support.

The proposal includes a reminder about the "poor" state of local roads - leaving the county "particularly isolated without a strong rail link".

It raises concerns about the need to encourage public transport use amid the climate emergency as well as stating that the 72,000 residents of Weymouth, Portland and Chickerell rely on Weymouth Station as their main link to the rest of the UK.

"In the summer the area receives up to 50,000 visitors per day, yet almost all of them come by private car as the public transport provision is poor and over-priced," the statement adds.

"Many people living in large cities such as London or Birmingham do not own a car, and would be put off from visiting Weymouth and South Dorset without a reliable public transport link.

"A reliable railway service is essential for the future of our town."