Commuters will face a fresh wave of travel misery under a plan to sever a direct rail link into the heart of the capital, it has been claimed.

Network Rail has been accused of turning its back on Thameslink passengers in Tooting, Sutton, Wimbledon, Streatham, Mitcham and South Merton, who rely on the service to get to work in the City and central London every day.

The future of the direct link, which is also used to catch the Eurostar, get to Luton Airport and access rail services at St Pancras and Kings Cross, was thrown into doubt after Network Rail announced the line will terminate at Blackfriars after the Thameslink upgrade is completed in 2016.

Passenger groups, councillors, MPs and GLA members united to form the Thameslink Loop Line Campaign Group, and have claimed Network Rail are putting profits before people.

Wandsworth Council's transport spokesman, Councillor Russell King, said: "Severing a cross London commuter route would be a step backwards for our transport system. We should be improving inner city links not cutting local services so it's easier for people living miles away to travel in.

"South Londoners could see an extra hour added to their daily commute if these changes go through - Network Rail must give them the chance to have their say before their plans go any further."

The move would force commuters to change at Blackfriars to a neighbouring platform to catch the next "through" train. The Department for Transport is due to undertake a public consultation on the issue about a year before any service changes are implemented.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "The Thameslink investment programme will deliver the rail infrastructure needed to provide improved reliability and an overall increase in services into central London from stations on the Wimbledon Loop. Our current expectation is that these services will terminate at London Bridge or Blackfriars stations.

"Although this would mean that there would be no ‘through’ trains to stations north of Blackfriars, passengers would benefit from a significantly improved service because of the increased capacity and an onward service of up to 24 trains each hour through central London and beyond."

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