Metro-North is considering paring down train schedules on the New Haven line as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority struggles to close its $1.2 billion budget gap for next year.

A Metro-North spokesperson says the state DOT is considering cutting four trains during off-peak hours daily, but notes that no decisions have been made yet. Metro-North says ?discretionary riders,? not commuters, will be most affected by the changes.

Other proposals include job cuts, decreasing the number of cars on some lines or cleaning cars less frequently.

?Any reduction in service is something we don't want to see,? says Connecticut Rail Commuter Council Chairman Jim Cameron. ?Neither do we want to see a fare increase, but Metro-North and the MTA got themselves into this budget mess and now we have to help pay.?

The Metro-North spokesperson wouldn't give a time table for when a decision on the cuts would be made. She says the DOT and Metro-North meet on a regular basis and cuts are part of their discussions, but fare increases are currently not on the table.