It's gone beyond a joke

For more than 13 years Gareth David has made the train journey from Haslemere to London in good weather and bad, enduring delays and cancellations.

But now his patience has been tested beyond endurance.

The only fast train to Waterloo has been scrapped in favour of a slow service calling at every station inbetween. "I used the fast

7.04 service every day. It was invaluable. You usually got a seat, it was warm, convenient and fast, and usually on time. But now it's been replaced by a stopping service which is slow and overcrowded," said Mr David, 46, who works for a City PR firm.

"The previous train is 15 minutes earlier, so by the time the 7.02 arrives it's packed solid and it's standing room only. For my ?2,700 annual season ticket I now get to stand in a very small space by the door. It's not funny."