Hundreds of people have signed a petition to restore train services through Epsom and Mole Valley to "pre-pandemic" levels.

The petition is being led by local Liberal Democrats from those boroughs who say they are concerned that changes brought in to manage the impact of the Covid-19 virus on travel could be made permanent.

Rail operators Southwestern (SWR) previously launched a consultation "in partnership with Network Rail and the Department for Transport" on their plans for the December 2022 timetable.

SWR said that forecasts were showing rail passengers would "not return to pre-Covid levels for the foreseeable future" and described the new proposals as "our opportunity to plan for a long-term timetable that will retain the reliability improvements we’ve made, meet the forecast demand and provide value for the taxpayer while balancing other local and national priorities".

However, those leading the challenge to them in the form of the petition dispute those points, saying reduced services will negatively impact residents with possibly fewer trains to and from London if they are finalised.

Councillor Paul Kennedy, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Mole Valley, said:

"This is an unprecedented and discriminatory attack on Epsom and Mole Valley's rail users, which undermines our efforts to restore jobs and local communities after the pandemic, promote active travel, secure adequate infrastructure for new housing, reduce traffic congestion and pollution, and fight climate change.

"These deeply flawed proposals use 'congestion' to justify even off-peak cuts. They take no account of the wider implications for connectivity, for example to other rail and bus services and between Epsom and Guildford. Yet they could not have been published without Government agreement."

Rail services across south London and into Surrey were recently cut after many train staff were forced to self-isolate amid high numbers of Covid cases.

Unionised workers on the rail network have complained of "utter confusion" over rules allowing some key workers to be exempt from self-isolation rules.

Click here to view the petition preamble or here to view the SWR consultation statement.