BOURNEMOUTH could lose its direct rail link with several major northern cities and Scotland under a proposed shake-up of cross-country train services.

Opposition is already growing over the move, which it is feared could affect the town's holiday trade as well as further eroding train services for local people.

The direct rail link with Liverpool was lost two years ago.

At the moment, Virgin CrossCountry Trains operates services between Bournemouth and Southampton and the north, but the franchise is coming up for renewal next year.

With numbers carried on cross-country trains rising by more than 40 per cent over the last three years, the Department for Transport wants to restructure the main north-south routes that avoid London to relieve pressure on sections of the network.

If approved, the change would mean only Birmingham and Manchester being served by direct trains from Bournemouth.

For all other destinations currently served by direct trains, including Sheffield, Leeds, York, Glasgow and Edinburgh, passengers would need to change trains at Birmingham New Street.

Richard Barnes, public transport officer at Bournemouth Council, said: "The local authority has to make representations by August 7 and will strongly object.

"The council is concerned at the possibility of losing direct services to and from a number of cities.

"It reduces the range of cities from which people can take a direct service to Bournemouth, and that's a concern from the tourism point of view.

"Changing trains at Birmingham is not easy, especially for those who aren't used to train travel.

"We don't feel it's in the interests of our passengers."

Virgin CrossCountry and the South West Public Transport Users forum are co-hosting a luncheon and discussion for regional opinion formers at the Carrington House Hotel in Bournemouth this Thursday.

A spokesman for Virgin CrossCountry explained: "The vast majority of train services in the country are run because the Department for Transport specifies they should be run.

"From our point of view, we will continue to run the services until the new franchise comes into being, whatever that may contain."