However, the government points to a new survey that showed the overwhelming majority of South Coast commuters were happy with the service.

Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian launched the timetable on October 20 last year, suggesting the majority of commuters would be better off.

The main change on the South Coast line was to create a number of faster trains to Sydney by reducing the number of stops.

These trains would stop at ‘‘hub’’ stations like North Wollongong, Thirroul and Helensburgh with local services running to service those commuters who used to get on at an intervening station.

Ms Wild is one of these commuters, who said it was too difficult to access all the trains she needs to travel to her job in the Sydney CBD from Bulli station.

‘‘We had two cars at home and just before the timetable change we decided to cut down to one, because it seemed silly to have two cars when we both use public transport to get to the city to work.

‘‘This timetable change has created a situation where I’m now going to buy a scooter to get to Thirroul station from Bulli.’’

Ms Wild said she had used the connecting local services before but found their arrival poorly timed - which can be a real issue at night.

‘‘The wait is around 15 minutes at least and often that train is delayed,’’ she said.

‘‘You’re standing on Thirroul station at night, in the dark, waiting for a connecting train.

‘‘At night, I’ve already been away from home and working an eight or nine-hour day, and I’m having to wait at Thirroul station, where the resources are not very good, for a connecting train.’’

She felt the timetable was ‘‘really undermining the suburban stations’’ and encouraging people to use their cars.

‘‘The timetable is just causing a lot of people to be driving to Thirroul and trying to park in Thirroul,’’ she said.

Ms Wild, however, said she was a fan of the new Opal card, which she said was saving her about $20 a week in fares.

Dapto’s Shane Kenning is also still unimpressed with the timetable. A graphic designer in Sydney, while the timetable hasn’t affected the times he leaves for work or arrives home, he felt it’s led to more crowded trains and a decline in service - such as fewer South Coast trains with toilets.

‘‘I’m fairly lucky considering, but I’ve heard some horror stories,’’ Mr Kenning said.

‘‘I’ve heard stories of people having to go past their stop, get off and catch the train back because of this new timetable.

‘‘It hasn’t affected me like that, but the service itself has gone downhill since the new timetable has come in, definitely.

‘‘It feels like the Illawarra’s been let down a bit as far as the service goes.’’

Mrs Berejiklian said the latest information showed commuters were happy with the South Coast service.

‘‘The latest Customer Satisfaction Index shows 90 per cent of customers using the South Coast Line said they were satisfied with their service, including its reliability, safety and cleanliness,’’ Mrs Berejiklian said.

She also pledged that the government would continue to monitor the levels of crowding on trains and suggested there would be some timetable alterations.

‘‘There will be some small tweaks to the timetable later this year but I am reluctant to introduce another big change for customers as last year was such a significant rewrite and the evidence tells us it is working,’’ she said.

Transport for NSW said the timetable did not change the number of trains with toilet facilities between Central and Wollongong/Port Kembla.