IT was announced at the latest public meeting of our group last Friday that the hard fought for and highly successful Waterloo service is once again under threat.

Over a year-long campaign I was immensely grateful to the community for the thousands of signatures in support of this service. The service has actually been running very successfully since the mid-90s and I understand the new service, launched in the summer, is doing equally well.

I wrote to the then minister, Kim Howells, in June thanking him for securing the service and he replied that he understood: "that from the December 2004 timetable the service will be increased to four direct trains per day in each direction," and he hoped: "that your group and the wider community continue to support these services and that you continue your good work in promoting rail services in the region."

I believe that we have all kept our end of the bargain by supporting the service and, together with the time and effort provided by the rail industry running it, look to the government, the minister, Tim McNulty, and Strategic Rail Authority to show similar support to a crowning success in a region frankly not overly favoured with its rail provision from the centre.

DR RC DODSON

Chairman

West Wiltshire Rail Users Group

YOU will recall that your paper helped only very recently to lead a campaign to preserve our direct rail service from west Wiltshire to Waterloo.

Through the publicity you generated the Department of Transport saw sense and agreed to maintain the service.

The West Wilts Rail Users Group held its latest forum on Friday evening when the bombshell was dropped that this service is to be cancelled from December 12. How can the government make such a complete about turn in such a short time?

This service offers a direct connection to Eurostar and central London. It is the only rail service which connects directly with the South Bank and avoids the additional underground trip from Paddington.

School parties use it, families, the infirm and elderly, prefer it. The Paddington service is not an alternative as group bookings will now go by coach. Individuals and families will simply not travel at all.

Government policy has been to get more people off roads and on to rail. Removal of this service will do exactly the opposite.

Residents of west Wiltshire, write to Tony McNulty at the Department of Transport now, in order to preserve our rail service before it is too late!

H PRICKETT

Yarnbrook