FED-UP commuters who are stranded for 90 minutes at peak times are urging a train company to change its timetable.

Commuters travelling from Worcester to Pershore and Evesham are left waiting in the city because there is no service between 5.21pm and 6.49pm during the week.

Evesham resident Elly Stokes is one of many who cannot make the 5.21pm train after finishing work in Warndon.

She is now lauching a petition to urge First Great Western to change the time of the train from Foregate Street station.

Miss Stokes, aged 28, of High Street, who does not drive, believes she, and many other commuters, would benefit if the train time was moved by 10 minutes so more people could make use of the service.

She said: “The train services from the centre of Worcester aren’t that good for when people leave work to go home. It doesn’t make it that easy for people finishing work in Worcester to get home and doesn’t give us enough time to get to the station either.”

She and many others have to wait almost two hours after finishing work. She said: “So far I have sat in pubs, cafés and gone swimming, but unfortunately this all costs me money I don't have, and I would rather be at home.”

She is also unable to move from her Evesham address as she looks after her grandmother, who suffers from dementia, and the bus service from the city leaves at the same time.

She said: “It is one of those annoying things which means I get home, which is only about 25 miles away, very late. In the morning the train times seem to be a lot better but this doesn’t continue in the evening when these people also need to get home.”

The 28-year-old, who has written to the train firm, has spoken to 15 other people with a similar problem.

Commuter Marie Lewis, aged 25, from Evesham said: “I don’t like the late train times as it means I miss spending time with my children before they go to bed.”

Alex Mason, aged 18, Evesham said: “I don’t feel safe catching the train so late at night, especially when it’s dark, but I don’t have any choice.”

John Ellis, vice-chairman of the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, said: “We are aware of that gap and in our discussions with First Great Western about the possible changes to the December 2008 timetable we have highlighted that as one of the weaknesses of the present timetable.”

A First Great Western spokesman said it listened to all its customers’ requests. He said: “We have a lot to consider when re-timing trains, such as connection times. Even running later by a few minutes it could have a knock-on effect for other services. We are sorry that it doesn’t work for her."