Fresh concerns have been raised over planned timetable changes for the Weymouth-Waterloo line – as it is announced that workers will go on strike next week.

Anxious residents voiced their fears over proposals by South Western Railway (SWR) to halve the number of direct services to London per hour from Weymouth. 

With changes intended to come into effect in December 2018, direct services to the capital from Upwey and Moreton could be scrapped altogether if the plans go ahead.

It comes as Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) says its members working for SWR will strike on Wednesday, November 8 and Thursday, November 9 due to an ongoing dispute about the role of guards on trains.

Members of the public told of their concerns at a meeting of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council's management committee. 

Honorary Alderman Andy Hutchings, member of The Friends of Upwey Station, said: “Instead of two direct trains per hour there will just be one. A 50 per cent cut to that service is very bad for our borough.

“It will lead to overcrowding and will not be good for visitors to Weymouth. It will also be very bad for customers that use Upwey station. We are most concerned to lose passengers with the new timetable.

“I hope the council will support local residents who feel very strongly about this.”

Cllr Jeff Cant, chairman of the management committee, said the council would take part in a consultation by SWR following the comments made by residents. 

Speaking after the meeting, he said: "We welcome any change that improves our connection with London, but what we would say is that (the proposals) seem unimaginative. 

"We're disappointed that we aren't getting two fast trains an hour like we'd hoped. 

"It's a great concern that some of the smaller stations could lose services that passengers rely on to get to places such as Dorchester, Poole and Bournemouth. That will greatly inconvenience them."

Cllr Colin Huckle, council spokesman for transport and infrastructure, said he would arrange for a response from the council to be submitted to the consultation. 

The public have until December 22 to voice their opinions on the planned timetable changes.

During next week's strike there will be no train services between Weymouth and Poole, with a bus replacement service operating instead.

Andy Mellors, managing director for South Western Railway, said: "We plan to run around two thirds of our regular timetabled services which will deliver around 70 per cent of the seats we normally provide across the morning and evening peak hours in to London."

“However, we are sorry that many of our passengers will find trains much busier than normal. 

"This strike is unnecessary."

SWR is the fifth rail operator to be embroiled in a dispute over the role of guards and driver-only trains.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “It is frankly ludicrous that we have been able to negotiate long-term arrangements in Scotland and Wales that protect the guards and passenger safety but we are being denied the same opportunities with rail companies in England."