However, from December 2006 both Maidenhead and Twyford will receive even fewer fast and semi-fast services. This decision will have a catastrophic effect on the quality of life enjoyed by many local commuters and comes as a body blow for local businesses.
In particular the 07.27 from Twyford to Paddington and the 07.27 from Maidenhead to Paddington will be axed. Passengers campaigned long and hard for these trains and they carry hundreds of local commuters. Now they will be replaced by a single train which will leave later and which will have stopped at stations up to Twyford and Maidenhead so will already be crowded when they get to our local stations.
Maidenhead MP Theresa May is leading the campaign against these changes, which are being forced through by Network Rail and the Department of Transport. She said "This is a body blow to our area. The current level of service is bad enough, but there can be do doubt that this further reduction in the number of fast commuter trains will lead to intolerable overcrowding and force many to return to their cars; the situation is simply not acceptable. I am meeting the Transport Minister later this month and will be campaigning hard to press the Government, Network Rail and FGW to reverse these cuts and introduce the improvements we urgently need.