Plans to upgrade all Thurrock stations to accept 12 car trains, like the 'main line' via Basildon, have fallen through. The main reason for this was that the project could not be delivered within the timescale dictated by the Community Fund, which was to fund the project.

With the continual expansion of house building in the Thurrock area, and indeed on other areas of the line such, as Shoebury Garrison & Barking Reach, (on the latter their are outline plans for a new station on the c2c line, between Dagenham Dock & Barking) it can only be a matter of time before 12 car services via Thurrock will have to be revisited.

c2c believe their new proposed timetable for December 2006 onwards will address any overcrowding issues until the end of the franchise in 2011. However, from the outcry currently being made by Laindon commuters, capacity would seem to be merely moved around the c2c line, although the new timetable does utilise 2 additional 4-car trains, when compared with the current timetable.

Whether we can afford to wait until beyond 2011, for these capacity issues to be fully addressed by a new franchise remains to be seen.

Updated 07/06/2006