Southern Railway has cut its services through Watford.

A temporary revised weekday timetable came into force yesterday to reduce the impact on passengers and staff of unpredictable and late notice cancellations.

The company claims issues surrounding the cancellations are down to unprecedented levels of train crew sickness and unwillingness among others to work overtime.

Changes under the temporary timetable include the removal of the service from Milton Keynes to Clapham Junction, which will affect commuters living in Watford.

An online petition to stop the cancellation has gathered almost 1000 signatures in one week.

Dave Horton, 32, who is spearheading the campaign, lived in Watford for 21 years and used the service most days to commute.

Mr Horton said: “We want Southern Railway to reconsider their decision to completely withdraw the service – we’re not expecting the timetable to return to how it was, but a service every couple of hours would be better than nothing.

“This was a direct line and it had a step-free access. It’s going to be a nightmare for the elderly and the disabled especially. The stress and hassle of having to change trains in London will be awful.

“I only started the petition two days ago and it seems to be growing at a rate of one or two signatures every minute at the moment - I’m hoping to get at least 1,000 so we can present this to the Department of Transport. Ultimately they can decide if this happens or not.”

The government has allowed Govia Thameslink Railways (GTR), which runs Southern Railway, to amend its contract. The amendment reduces the number of trains it operates by 15 percent.

Cllr Nigel Bell, who represents Holywell, is urging Watford MP Richard Harrington and elected mayor Dorothy Thornhill to intervene and persuade the government to reconsider this decision.

In a letter addressed to Mr Harrington and Mayor Thornhill, he wrote: “The variation in GTR’s contract includes the complete removal of all train services between Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction for an indefinite period.

“These services are heavily used by Watford residents, mainly those travelling to work between Watford and west and south London. The alternative services will add significantly to journey times, involve changes and will add to already overcrowded services on these routes at peak times.

“If Govia are unable or unwilling to fulfil their contractual obligations I urge the government to bring these services into public ownership, as was successfully done with the East Coast Main Line, to ensure continuity of services.”

Mr Harrington has described the situation as “appalling”.

He said: “I have complained on behalf of my constituents to both Southern Railway and the Department for Transport.

“Southern’s answer seems to be that it’s better to have a reduced service in the short term than an extensive one which is often subject to delays and cancellations. So what I’m asking is how short is short term?”

“What’s annoyed me most is that we know they have staff problems, that’s widely publicised. But it seems to me, that to sort that problem, they’re taking staff away from our area and relocating them further down south and we are now the ones who are suffering.”

In a letter to Southern Railway, Mayor Thornhill said she, and many residents, were "dismayed" at the news.

She said: “On behalf of thousands of commuters who rely on this service I am asking you to think again and reinstate the Milton Keynes to Clapham Junction service with immediate effect.

“While I appreciate the difficulties your company is facing, inconveniencing passengers further with a drastic 100 per cent cut to their service seems wholly disproportionate.”

Southern has had issues with train crew availability ever since the RMT launched industrial action over the operator’s plans to hand control of who would close the doors from conductors to drivers.

Mick Cash, leader of the RMT, said: “The continuing attempt to blame this gross mismanagement on the frontline staff is a cynical and cowardly ploy by a company who have chosen to wage war on their passengers and workforce alike.

“The managers at GTR pay themselves fat salaries and bonuses in reward for failure on an epic scale, while the staff on the trains and platforms are left to take the blame for the bosses’ incompetence."

Southern Railway passenger services director Alex Foulds said:“We are introducing this temporary weekday revised timetable with reluctance but it is the best thing we can do for our passengers who have been suffering daily cancellations ever since this dispute with the RMT began, and for which we are sincerely sorry.”

“It should give the majority of our passengers a better, more consistent service that they can plan around.”

To sign the petition please go to: http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-gtr-southern-withdrawing-west-london-line-services