The future of Weymouth’s rail services will be up for debate as councillors respond to proposed timetable changes.

At a Dorset County Council (DCC) cabinet meeting tomorrow (6), councillors will consider a report by the cabinet member for natural and built environment, Cllr Daryl Turner, on proposed timetable changes to their services from December 2018.

DCC has been contacted as a key stakeholder by South Western Railways’ (SWR) to provide a response as part of their consultation.

In a bid to improve services, SWR have proposed to run two trains per hour off peak from Weymouth – one fast direct to London Waterloo, the other stopping at all stations to Portsmouth.

SWR say the changes will make journeys from Weymouth to London will be up to 12 minutes faster and trains between Weymouth and Bournemouth will be spaced much nearer to a half-hourly frequency.

However, the proposals have come under fire as, if they get approval, off peak direct services to and from London would no longer be provided from Upwey, Moreton and Holton Heath.

Instead passengers would have to change trains at Brockenhurst or Southampton to connect to London.

The report recommends approval by the cabinet on the grounds faster journey times to London are included in the Local Transport Plan 3 adopted by the Local Highway Authorities and the Dorset LEP Strategic Economic Plan.

It added: “It has been a long-held aspiration to have a more even interval between train services. There will still be provision to commute to and from London and there is little difference in the frequency of local service between Weymouth, Dorchester, Poole, Bournemouth and Southampton Central meeting the needs of most of Dorset’s rail passengers.”

Since the consultation opened in September, council officers have asked for council members’ views via email and meetings have been held with SWR, members and officers.

Other consultees include Bournemouth Borough Council and Borough of Poole officers along with Dorset LEP as part of Dorset Rail Partnership, West of England Line Strategy Group and Heart of Wessex Community Rail Partnership.

During the meeting, DCC will decide whether to support the timetable proposals and whether the seasonal Saturday service which operates between Waterloo, Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth, (via Maiden Newton) should continue.

Rail passengers now have until December 22 to voice their opinions on the planned timetable changes.