FURIOUS rail passengers say services have been “decimated” because of a new train timetable.

Southern Rail and Govia Thameslink services switched to a new system last month in a bid to boost capacity on the network.

The rail companies described the timetable change as the “biggest in a generation” and pledged to have more trains running on the busiest routes.

Bosses have pledged to add more than 6,000 extra services and 7,000 new carriages on the tracks by 2021.

But commuters at stations such as Preston Park in Brighton say the number of trains stopping there has fallen.

Liz Mattos posted on Facebook about the changes at her station and has urged others to write to their MPs and the rail companies about losing services.

She wrote: “You may be aware of the train timetable changes. This has sadly left Preston Park Station train service decimated with a significant reduction in trains.

“It has made commuting almost unfeasible from Preston Park Station and is generally making life miserable for everyone who is attempting to get to and from London.

“As well as adding hours on to the working day, we are squashed standing on the very few trains that do stop at Preston Park, as most of our service now comes from Littlehampton rather than Brighton.

“There are no Gatwick Express trains stopping at Preston Park at all.”

The rail companies admit that there have been “unacceptable levels of disruption” in some areas with the new system and say they are working to “give greater certainty to passengers as quickly as possible”.

They say approvals for service changes were delayed and some timetable requests were changed, leaving companies with less time to prepare and less time for drivers to learn the new routes.

An interrim timetable will be put in place from today.

To comment on changes to the services send an email to: comments@southernrailway.com.