Members of Merton Friends of the Earth, one in a Gordon Brown mask, protested against the state of the railways outside Wimbledon station.

The group held the protest on April 20, carrying placards with slogans such as Delayed Again and What Are You Waiting For? They are angry about what they see as "decades of under-investment in the rail system and furious about fare rises and service cuts".

The group wants to see better security and staffing at Wimbledon Station, especially at night. They also want a cleaner station and to have the clocks and indicator boards brought back, which they say "have been out of action for months and give the station a very run down feel".

Auriel Glanville, co-ordinator of Merton Friends of the Earth, said: "In the growing public debate over the shocking state of our railways, the one voice that is rarely heard is that of the passenger.

"Rail can be a cheap and pleasant way to travel. Elsewhere in Europe it usually is."

Friends of the Earth believes supporting public transport is essential if people are to be persuaded to be less dependent on cars and wants to see a rise in public spending on the rail system of at least 75 per cent.