Demands for a rail giant to backtrack over controversial timetable changes are gathering steam.

Outraged passengers fear that Keighley's only direct train service to London could be shunted off the rails following a half-hour hike in the journey time.

Since the Keighley News revealed the timetable travesty three weeks ago, calls have grown for operator Great North Eastern Railway (GNER) to scrap the change when its autumn schedule is published.

Before the revised timings were implemented last month, the train -- which begins its journey at Skipton -- departed from Keighley at 6.50am and then formed the 7.20am from Leeds to King's Cross, arriving in the capital at 9.19am.

Now it leaves Keighley a minute later and pulls into Leeds at 7.13am, but waits for 24 minutes before heading south.

With two additional stops on the route to London, it does not arrive in the capital until 9.51am.

Business bosses, who successfully campaigned for the train to be introduced in the first place, claim that for the many people who need to get across London for 10am meetings, the service is now a waste of time.

And they are concerned that if usage drops, the service may be axed altogether.

GNER says that extra first-class capacity was needed on the 7.20am service from Leeds so a 225 Pullman was introduced, but the train is unable to run on the Airedale line.

But the explanation has failed to satisfy many protesters.

Michael Parkinson, a non-executive director of Airedale Springs, at Haworth, was among those who campaigned for the introduction of the service and used it regularly after its launch nearly five years ago.

He said: "If capacity on the 7.20am was the problem I cannot understand why the 125s could not simply be given additional passenger space. Instead you now have the ludicrous situation where you are hanging around in Leeds for 24 minutes, during which time the 7.20 leaves for London!

"Someone, somewhere has not looked at this sensibly.

"We must campaign to get the situation put right in the autumn. The more people who write to GNER about it, the better."

Mr Parkinson added: "I have every sympathy with my business colleagues who use this train. I think they are being treated very badly.

"I also feel that GNER has got to start marketing the service, which has become known as 'Keighley's best known secret'." Civil servant David Halsall, who has used the service regularly to attend meetings in London, shares concerns about the change.

He said: "The service was a very good one but that extra half hour makes a huge difference. The meetings I go to are in central London and it is now impossible to get across the city in time for them."

Mr Halsall contacted GNER to see if it would be possible for passengers to catch the London train from Keighley and then transfer to the 7.20am from Leeds.

But he was told that with a minimum connection time at Leeds Station of 10 minutes and train dispatch procedures -- including door closures -- often beginning two minutes before departure, it would not theoretically be possible.

The company said he could attempt the transfer if he wished, but that it would be "at his own risk".

GNER said it appreciated that the situation was not ideal and that it was working with industry partners in a bid to find a solution.

Keighley MP Ann Cryer has also condemned the change and has written to county transport bosses -- copying the letter to GNER -- expressing her concern.