RAIL passengers who live in a village near Didcot are demanding more frequent train services from Great Western Railway (GWR).

Villagers in Appleford say they need better connections to Didcot and London, and residents from Sutton Courtenay and Long Wittenham would also benefit if more trains were provided.

The Appleford Rail Group (ARG) has now been set up to lobby for improvements and members have invited Wantage MP Ed Vaizey, and representatives from GWR, to a public meeting next Friday at the village hall at 6.30pm.

Items up for discussion include working with GWR to improve facilities at the station and secure long-term service improvements to suit the needs of all users.

The group also wants improvements to cycleways between Appleford, Sutton Courtenay and Long Wittenham, with dedicated cycle racks at the station.

An increase in the number of available car parking spaces at the station will also be proposed.

Father-of-two Chris Hancock, 66, an architect who commutes to London, said: “After the 8.45am to Didcot there is no train until 12.17pm and that’s too long a gap.

“Once you are into the off-peak period there are four-hour gaps in the service, so pensioners who want to go shopping in Didcot or Reading find it really difficult.”

Parish council chairman Lucy Guinn added: “Recent GWR cuts to off-peak train stops have increased the difficulty of completing a round trip to Didcot, London and Oxford, for work or leisure.

“A London-bound commuter now has to endure a 13-hour day.

“Village communities rely particularly on the train as there are no viable bus services, and local roads and river crossings are increasingly congested.”

Great Western Railway spokesman James Davis said: “We have a number of regional development managers and their role is to meet user groups and discuss whether we may or may not be able to support their proposals.

“We will be very happy to meet with the Appleford group, discuss its proposals, and talk about how we can improve services.”