Nineteen of the 20 trains to Gloucester are to be cut

Virgin Cross Country announced last month that from September all but one of its trains would no longer stop at Gloucester.

Councillors said the move - which is backed by the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) - will leave the city cut off from the rest of the country.

And they said the company is legally bound to provide at least 10 cross country services a day.

Council leader Peter Clarke and Dr John Cordwell, the councillor responsible for transport, said an agreement signed with the SRA means Virgin Trains is committed to providing a better rail service for the city.

Legally-binding agreement

Mr Clarke said: "In 1996 Virgin Trains entered a legally binding agreement that required 10 cross country services to call at Gloucester every day.

"This passenger service requirement formed a part of the company's franchise and was established in order to protect a minimum level of service."

Virgin Trains has denied the claim and said the new timetable does not breach any agreement.

Mr Clarke and Dr Cordwell are set to air their concerns about the situation at an emergency meeting with Transport Minister John Spellar later this month.

"Gloucester is effectively going to be sidelined off the main line from Bristol to Birmingham," added Mr Clarke.

"We hope Mr Spellar is going to listen to us - we have to impress on him that if he wants people to get out of their cars and onto trains, there have to be trains for them to get on to."