COMMUTERS were not impressed when First Great Western cancelled a key commuter service yesterday on the first day of a new timetable.

The train operator launched its new timetable yesterday morning with additional early morning trains from Banbury to London Paddington and more High Speed Train (HST) services stopping at Didcot Parkway.

It is also replacing its current Adelante trains, which seat 282 people, with 10 High Speed Trains seating 515 people.

But commuters at Oxford waiting to board the new 6.57am HST, which replaces the 7.05am service, were told it had been cancelled.

They arrived late for work after being forced to change at Didcot before arriving in Paddington.

Zahra Akkerhuys, a spokesman for Ox Rail Action, said: "You might expect a few teething problems with a new timetable, but not cancellations.

"Passengers are not impressed. Staff at Oxford did their best but they were unsure what to advise passengers.

"On paper, the timetable changes looked promising, but it's no good if the trains don't turn up at the platforms."

And commuters returning home after their first day on the new service gave the timetable the thumbs down.

Douglas Jones, of Wootton, said: "This evening has been a nightmare, I ended up home an hour late."

Richard Comley, from Littlemore, said it had been "dreadful" and added: "They were very lackadaisical about it."

Lance Cole, a spokesman for First Great Western, said the 6.57 from Oxford to Paddington was cancelled after a mains cable, which provides the train's electricity supply, failed at Hereford.

He added: "It's unfortunate on the morning of the new timetable and we apologise to customers."

There were further delays for passengers in Oxfordshire yesterday afternoon when a freight train heading north broke down at Culham, between Didcot and Oxford.