I AM pleased that the so-called "service" provided by Thames Trains from Worcester to Paddington has been raised by our MP Mike Foster (Evening News, May 29).

As a regular user and one-time daily commuter, I have always been at pains to avoid Thames whenever possible and use the superior Great Western inter-city trains instead.

For the same fare (whatever happened to competition?) Thames provides a minimum of carriages and seating space that usually delivers you to Paddington in a crumpled heap of perspiration, discomfort and sore legs from trying to claim space for your feet and knees. It returns you to Worcester without the will to live.

These carriages, unlike Great Western and Central Trains to New Street, seat five across the width. Even first class is a cramped 16-seater compartment unworthy of the description.

Refreshment trolleys, when they are on board, cannot move for standing passengers. It is the most user-unfriendly long haul service I have used in Britain.

Cramming a 35 per cent increase in passengers into these sweatboxes may be good for shareholders but is a disgusting way to treat people.

I am told that extra carriages cannot be used because of the short platforms in the Cotswold stations. That does not appear to be a problem for the Great Western, where passengers are asked to alight from certain doors only and the rest are kept locked. It is not rocket science or brain surgery.

It would be a travesty if Thames Train's franchise were to be renewed in 2004. Passengers use it because they have to, not because they want to.

Thames knows that and they have exploited this ruthlessly in pursuit of profit at the expense of passenger comfort for too long.

PETER NIELSEN, Worcester.