Traffic chaos is giving rail companies a "golden opportunity" - but they are making a hash of it, claim commuters.

The station car parks are overflowing, the trains are jam-packed, and season ticket holders are aggrieved at newcomers getting a free ride.

"It's a bit of a shambles," said commuter and Oxfordshire County Council member Brian Hodgson, who lives in Stonesfield.

"The A34 closure has obviously convinced some motorists to try alternative transport, but it's turning out to be just as much a nightmare."

All this week motorists have been experiencing long delays travelling into and out of the city because of lane closure on the A34 caused by bridgeworks at Botley.

In the west of the county, many commuters have decided to let the train take the strain and make use of the Cotswold Line, with stations at Hanborough, Combe, Finstock, Charlbury, the Wychwoods and Kingham.

The secretary of the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, Derek Potter, said: "This was a golden opportunity to persuade people to go by train.

"But they may now be put off for good. Even if they can find a place to park, they may find the train so full they wish they hadn't bothered." The Promotion Group's representative for Hanborough, Andrew Wilkins, has written to Thames Trains asking them to put on more trains or more carriages on the services that are running.

Another commuter, Chris Koenig, who travels into Oxford from Combe, said: "A sardine tin would be more luxurious than the space you now have. It's obvious they should put on more services. "At Hanborough, the last stop before Oxford, it is unbelievable the numbers now wanting to get on the train.

"Because of the crowds, the ticket collectors cannot get round to take their money and season ticket holders are obviously very annoyed that some are getting free rides."

Thames Trains were unable to comment yesterday. Their press and public relations office at Reading was unmanned.

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