PASSENGERS looking to travel to the south west are facing the prospect of radical changes to their journey in new cuts to train services.

And a formal objection has been made to the cutting of services through Bank Quay train station.

The Government has proposed ending the cross country routes to the south west - leaving people to change trains at notoriously passenger unfriendly Birmingham New Street.

The consultation process ended on Monday and any potential changes would start from November 2007.

Clr Brian Axcell, borough council executive board member for transport, said: "The borough council has sent a out a detailed letter of objection to the proposed changes. It would make it especially difficult for people travel to the West Country for leisure."

Adrian Rowland, from Warrington Rail Users Group, said: "I remember when cross country was introduced and the figures showing this as a success speak for themselves.

"Abolishing the service south of Birmingham, will result in Warrington Bank Quay becoming little more than a commuter stop for people travelling except on services on the London to Glasgow axis."

A transport source said: "The Voyager Trains on the cross country route are only four or five carriages. They want to move them to other busier routes.

"Warrington loses a significant percentage of our services.

"At Birmingham the stations are islands and they often change platforms at the last minute, which is a problem for elderly people or people with luggage.

"It's not going to be good for the people of Warrington and more to the point, there's going to be less choice.

"The whole point was to revitalise the services - to be going forward, not back. This is more inconvenience for passengers from Warrington."

The Government has proposed the changes to accommodate a new rail franchise operating out of Birmingham which would start in November 2007, and to cope with increasing passenger numbers.

What do you think? E-mail sbailey@guardiangrp.co.uk