Peak-hour trains were late, overcrowded and some were even cancelled. Passengers were left standing on platforms as others tried desperately to squeeze onto the few fast trains left in the timetable.

The impact of the new First Great Western (FGW) schedule, which sees fewer fast trains from Maidenhead and Twyford to London Paddington, was compounded by mechanical failures and delays, which heightened people's frustration.

Commuters described being ‘rammed in like sardines', which people feared would be a hazard in the event of an accident.

Those lucky enough to have seats had passengers crushed between them, according to Neil Symons, 28, of Brunel Road.

The HR manager, a commuter since 1999, said: "It used to be a lottery to get a seat, now it is a lottery to get on a train."

FGW spokesman Lance Cole said: "We had some mechanical issues on Monday morning, it was nothing to do with the timetable."

He added FGW adhered to all statutory safety requirements and there was ‘no evidence to suggest overcrowding increases risk'.

FGW said people's comments on the timetable were taken into account following public consultation earlier this year.

A statement from the train operator said: "As a result of the comments, we were able to make numerous amendments to the timetable. However, regrettably it has not been possible to make every change and some people inevitably will be disappointed."

The company said it would monitor the situation closely and if possible, try to make changes to the timetable in the future.

See also:

Third World experience for rail commuters

Maidenhead Advertiser: 14th December 2006
Letters

Like hundreds of other commuters, I'm appalled at the impact of the new timetable serving Maidenhead.

It has been a Third World experience on many commuter services this week.

Having cut back on fast and semi-fast services, the remaining FGW services have been horrendously overcrowded as well as late.

Anyone travelling on the 0812 from Maidenhead and the 1914 back from Paddington on Monday or the 0750 to Paddington on Tuesday will know what I mean.

The frustration is how powerless we are. Despite the best efforts of yourselves, our MP and passenger groups, things have got worse with little prospect of improvement for 2007.

When I contacted FGW, they referred me to their base franchise commitment (just three fast services during the morning rush hour) and basically told me we should be grateful for anything above that (such as the 0735 service they so ‘generously' agreed to run).

FGW is a monopoly and behaving one like one. You can't imagine a company that genuinely has to earn its customers, such as John Lewis, treating its customers like this, can you?

Chris Barraclough

College Avenue
Maidenhead