A public meeting has been called to discuss a new rail operator's controversial timetable proposals for the Weymouth-Waterloo line.

Proposed changes from South Western Railway (SWR) will mean Weymouth's two trains per hour to London will be reduced to one.

Although the new London service will be slightly faster it will miss out smaller stations such as Upwey and Moreton, so they will lose their direct service to the capital.

A second slower train from Weymouth under the plan will run through to Southampton then divert to Portsmouth.

So Upwey and Moreton passengers wishing to travel to London will have to get the new slower train and change at Southampton.

There has been an outcry over the proposals, and it has led to South Dorset MP Richard Drax meeting with SWR boss Andy Mellors to discuss future plans for the service.

SWR is inviting comments in a public consultation which runs until Friday, December 22.

The new timetable will come into effect in December 2018.

Ex managing director of former operator South West Trains, Stewart Palmer, who lives in Dorchester, has responded to the consultation.

He said: "These proposals offer a worse service for Dorchester rail users to the places they actually want to go to.”

Weymouth and Portland borough councillor, Paul Kimber, has also expressed concerns about the proposed changes. He said: "Upwey station will lose the through service to Waterloo. And if the station is not used by customers this will threaten the future of Upwey station.”

Councillor Kimber and Mr Palmer will speak and answer questions from the public at the meeting.

Dorchester Labour activist, Claudia Sorin, is calling on people to attend the public meeting in Weymouth to find out more about the proposed changes to the timetable and how they can respond to the consultation.

She said: “A decent transport network is crucial for our region and yet it seems to be getting worse not better – 500 new homes are expected to be built at Crossways but Moreton, like Upwey, could lose the through service to London.

"At least with the SWR timetable consultation we have a chance to influence the final decisions.”

The public meeting will be held at the Safewise Centre on Radipole Lane Weymouth at 7pm on Thursday, December 7.