A major train operator was today branded "stupid" for reducing services to stop overcrowding in carriages.

Virgin Trains has cut or axed a large number of its cross-country early- morning and late-night trains from Leeds to make long-distance passengers more comfortable.

But the decision, which has been rubberstamped by the Government's Strategic Rail Authority, has come under fire from a rail chief who says it is ludicrous at a time when ministers are encouraging people to use public transport.

Bradford councillor Ann Ozolins (Lib-Dem, Idle), chairman of the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority's rail working group, said a strong letter would be sent to the company.

"It is absolutely stupid and completely laughable if it wasn't so serious," she said. "It's unbelievable that services should be reduced when the Government is trying to encourage people to use public transport.

"I travel to conferences at Bourne-mouth and a number of people are going to be hit who expect to make the journeys from Leeds."

Services affected include journeys to Cardiff, Bournemouth, Dundee, Plymouth and Edinburgh.

Because of Virgin's late announcement of the changes, the alterations do not appear in new MetroTrain timetables.

Transport buff Councillor Stanley King (Con, Heaton) said: "I can only conclude that a member of the Virgin Board must be Alice in Wonderland, and she's doing a good job. We should be increasing services, not cutting them, if there is overcrowding. The more people using them, the better."

A spokesman for Virgin Trains said they were trying to get local people to use local trains instead of the long-distance services.

"We want to make people's journeys more pleasurable and reliable," said the spokesman. "These changes aren't specific to Leeds or anywhere else. It is the full cross-country timetable.

"We have tweaked the timetable to cut local passengers adding to overcrowding. There are some people simply going from one station to the next."

He said the number of long-distance passengers had increased by 40 per cent in a year and the new policy would not cut numbers of people using public transport.

But Coun Keith Thomson (Lab, Wibsey), chairman of Bradford Council's environment scrutiny committee, said: "Their argument isn't very compelling. More trains means fewer cars on the roads. Fewer trains is bad news."

The timetable changes will be reported to Bradford passenger consultative committee at its meeting on Friday and Coun Ozolins said she would make strong representations.

She will also put it on the agenda of the next PTE Rail Working Group meeting.

The Strategic Rail Authority was heavily criticised by Coun Ozolins by suggesting recently that companies should put up fares to reduce overcrowding.