HASLEMERE rail users will benefit from extra services when South Western Railway (SWR) introduces its next train timetable from May 19.

SWR announced last week that it will be introducing an additional 300 train services per week across the network.

Martin Odell, secretary of the Haslemere Rail Users’ Group (HRUG), said: “I welcome the extra services on the Waterloo-Haslemere-Portsmouth line. In the morning, they are Haslemere to Waterloo at 5.57am and 7.08am, and in the evening, Waterloo to Haslemere at 5.08pm, 11pm and 11.30pm.

“There are also two more services in the morning from Waterloo to Haslemere at 5.45am and 7am, although generally speaking these will not benefit regular Haslemere travellers.

“Godalming will have its frequency of services doubled – arguably to the detriment of Haslemere fast services – as all services will call at Godalming, except the 6.15am Portsmouth to Waterloo and the 5.15pm Waterloo to Portsmouth.

“The remaining additional services will affect those travelling to and from Basingstoke, Farnham, Cobham, Fareham and on the Isle of Wight Island line.”

Commenting on SWR’s announcement concerning the refurbishing of the existing fleet, Mr Odell said it would be the delayed Class 442s that will run on the Waterloo-Haslemere-Portsmouth line, rather than the brand new state of the art Class 701 trains, which “won’t normally come near Haslemere”.

Mr Odell said he had also learned that the reduction in first class accommodation in the Class 450 trains for Haslemere first class passengers has been on the instruction of the Government and Department for Transport in order to make more seats available to all passengers.

He added: “Surely that cannot be claimed as an enhancement for those travellers who pay substantially more for their tickets.”

Announcing the additional services on Thursday last week, SWR managing director Andy Mellors, said: “There will be substantial changes to our next timetable starting in May, which will bring over 300 additional train services a week for our customers across the network.

“Many of these service enhancements are based on extensive consultations and feedback sessions that were undertaken previously with local stakeholders, businesses, community groups and customers.

“We are very pleased that these enhancements will come to fruition shortly and we will continue to work on refurbishing our existing fleet and introducing brand new state-of-the-art trains in to service by the end of the year.”

Rail users were due to be impacted by a 24-hour walkout on Saturday, March 16 by RMT members, but it has been called off.

The RMT announced last month, before two earlier walkouts scheduled for February 22 and March 9 took place, that the three planned strikes in the dispute over guards on trains have been suspended.

The breakthrough followed the suspension of strikes on Northern Rail after the company agreed to guarantee a conductor on all trains.

The union said there had been a breakthrough in the two-year dispute, which has seen a series of strikes including over the Christmas and New Year period.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said there had been “substantial progress” in talks with the company, which he said had now offered a guarantee of a guard on services that have been in dispute.

During the lengthy dispute, which has caused disruption to some of the busiest rail services in the country, the union called for a guarantee trains will not run if no guard is available, while SWR maintained they would run in “exceptional circumstances”.

SWR said it was “pleased” strike action had been suspended. A spokesperson said: “We are looking forward to further constructive discussions with RMT and are hopeful that building on this breakthrough we can see an end to this industrial action and together build a better railway for our customers.”