New timetable for c2c begins 11 December

c2c, Britain's top performing train company, will be introducing its winter timetable on Sunday 10 December with brand new Monday to Friday peak schedules across its network from 11th December. It will replace the present timetable, where the peak services have remained largely unchanged for more than a decade, with one to match the growth of the rapidly expanding south Essex area.

The changes will see more trains used in the peak periods providing additional seating capacity for commuters. c2c hope that, by announcing the changes now, regular travellers will be able to familiarise themselves with the new train times well in advance of the changeover date. The new schedules are now available on the c2c website and reminders of major changes to the timetable will be featured in leaflets and on posters in the run up to the December introduction date.

Highlights of the new timetable include three additional 12 coach trains in the morning peak period, fast trains from Benfleet to London every 20 minutes throughout the peak, a regular 20 minute pattern of services from Chafford Hundred and Ockendon, and a train every 10 minutes at peak periods between Grays and London via Rainham.

More peak trains will call at West Ham, recognising the important interchange with the Jubilee and District lines, making it easier for c2c travellers to reach destinations in central London and Docklands.

Apart from the changes to the weekday morning and evening peak times, the current successful pattern of services will be retained, and enhanced, with trains that at present terminate at and start from Pitsea at weekends being extended to/from Southend Central.

The consultation process has resulted in a number of additions and alterations being made to the published draft: commuter requests for additional calls at Limehouse to provide a wider range of connections with Docklands Light Railway services have been addressed; requests for more capacity at certain times will see the new 07.48 from Shoeburyness increased from 8 to 12 carriages while the later 08.05 departure will be in turn be reduced from 12 to 8 coaches; similarly in the evening peak, following numerous requests, four coaches will transfer from the new 17.40 departure to the 17.20 departure from Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness.

The 0750 from Shoeburyness to Fenchurch Street will call additionally at Pitsea at 0815, providing a convenient connection for customers wishing to transfer from Southend area stations onto the Grays route. There will be a new 08.32 Laindon starter to London and a 16.50 return evening train from Fenchurch Street that will terminate there.

c2c had also hoped to increase the number of evening peak calls at West Ham for home-going commuters to stations on the Rainham and Ockendon routes. This intention has been constrained, however, by the current signalling arrangements at West Ham and while a programme to resignal the area is being drawn up, it has not been possible to include as many extra stops as originally hoped at West Ham for the December 2006 timetable. Nevertheless customers can travel from West Ham to Ockendon and Chafford Hundred by changing at Upminster as now.

With the publication of the new timetable c2c Managing Director Mark Hopwood said We are really excited about the new schedules which will bring much needed new capacity on already busy routes, particularly through Rainham and Chafford Hundred where massive growth is planned under the Thames Gateway proposal. We are also very grateful to individual customers, to the passenger representative groups at Laindon, Thurrock and Southend and to Passenger Focus and London TravelWatch all whom, through their feedback, have helped us to shape the final version of the timetable.