MOVES by Virgin Trains to reduce the number of Cross Country trains stopping at Oxenholme station have been criticised by Kendal town councillors.

As previously reported in the Gazette, Virgin's draft timetable for 2002 proposes that eight services will call each day at Oxenholme - down from 12.

Lakes Line Action Group secretary Malcolm Conway estimates the number of train seats available will be halved, from 4,000 to 2,000.

Kendal's deputy mayor, Coun Dave Birkett, who sits on LLAG, said he was concerned that tourism could be damaged.

Coun John Studholme was worried about business travellers.

"This is simply forcing more traffic onto our overburdened roads, which doesn't make any sense whatsoever," he said.

Mayor Coun Tom Clare said Kendal would not be the only community affected.

He suggested the council should team up with other affected towns, and possibly a regional body, to write a strong letter of objection to Virgin Trains.

Reporting back from LLAG's recent meeting, Coun Birkett said concerns had been expressed about the 'request stops' introduced on the Lakes branch line between Kendal and Windermere.

"There were a number of comments about elderly people being taken on to the next stop, and not being able to find the guard to inform him they wanted to get off at Burneside or Staveley," said Coun Birkett.

"There had been quite a bit of inconvenience.

One can imagine there could be a safety problem if an elderly person was unhappy and started looking for the guard, and fell."

Councillors agreed to write to First North Western Trains, which operates services on the Lakes Line, to express concerns.

Meanwhile, the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line has asked Kendal Town Council to support its call for improvements on the historic railway.

Councillors agreed to give their support.