South Western Railway (SWR) recently launched a consultation on its December 2018 timetable, which among many “major changes” for the Alton line, proposes splitting the existing Guildford-Aldershot-Ascot service to provide a new half-hourly service between Farnham and Guildford from Monday to Saturday, reverting to an hourly service on Sundays.
Other significant changes include an earlier morning train from Farnham arriving in Waterloo 35 minutes earlier, a later direct train from Waterloo to Alton departing at 11.58pm, and faster off-peak services to and from Farnham and Alton.
Responding to the proposals for the Alton line, the Alton Line Users Association (ALUA) believes “passengers will certainly notice the difference in journey time”.
In a statement ALUA secretary John Eddleston said: “Ever since the Alton/London off-peak services were slowed down to allow for an additional stop at West Byfleet, ALUA has been campaigning to speed up the train service on our line. Passengers have had to wait several years until the new operator SWR took over, but ALUA’s campaign has finally paid off.
“Faster services are not the only improvement, in future nearly all off-peak trains will stop at Clapham Junction rather than every other train to and from Alton.
“Commuters will also benefit from an earlier first train to London departing Farnham at 05.23 - even Alton commuters will be able to get to London 10 minutes earlier. And at the end of the day there will be a later direct train back from London.”
Praising the reinstatement of Farnham to Guildford services, Mr Eddleston added this would save a change of trains at Aldershot and the possibility of missing the connection - the only downside being a longer connection for passengers wishing to travel onwards to Alton.
“If the track to Alton had not been singled some years ago it would have been possible for these trains to continue to Alton. This would appear unfortunate but unavoidable, but it does strengthen the case for redoubling the track,” added Mr Eddleston.
While Saturday trains are expected to follow the off-peak pattern, ALUA has asked SWR for the proposed Sunday timetable, to make sure that there will be acceptable connections from the hourly Guildford/Farnham to and from Alton.
Mr Eddleston continued: “ALUA would have liked the Sunday service also to have been speeded up and with an earlier service to London as the journey is currently painfully slow; unfortunately we believe there have been no significant changes.”
One oddity in the timetable, that ALUA has asked to be reconsidered, is that the last departure of the day from Woking to Alton would appear only to allow passengers to board at Woking but not at the intermediate stations of Brookwood, Ash Vale, Aldershot and Farnham.
In conclusion, Mr Eddleston noted: “While ALUA believes SWR should be praised for the changes it proposes for the Alton and Guildford/Farnham lines we have not looked at changes to other parts of the network, including connections at Woking.”
SWR’s 2018 timetable consultation closes on December 22.
To view and comment on the operator’s plans visit the website www.southwesternrailway.com/contact-and-help/timetable-consultation