c2c have stated that the proposed recasting of the timetable for December 2005 has now been put back until December 2006, this will allow c2c to further model the proposed changes to ensure they are robust enough. TRUG support this view, especially in view of some of the problems that have arisen on SWT & ONE following their major timetable changes.

One of the key elements in the proposed new timetable will be the desire to have more trains stop at West Ham, for connections into Docklands. Unfortunately the signalling in the West Ham area is not able to cope with this, so c2c have bit of a juggling act on their hands to balance the number of trains calling at Fenchurch St with demand for West Ham services. There may be an opportunity to use funds from the Thames Gateway project to fund the improvements to signalling, but this has yet to be investigated. Andrew Chivers, c2c's Managing Director has stated on a number of occasions that if London wins the 2012 Olympics bid, funding will be made available for these improvements.

Service Changes from April 2005

Already passengers from Dagenham, Rainham, Purfleet & Grays have some good news on the timetable front, as from the April 4th the

22:20 from Grays to Barking will now run thru to Fch St.
The 23:00 Barking to Grays will now start at Fch St. at 22:45
(both calling at W. Ham & Limehouse)

Grays Departure Times

For the future TRUG are pressing for a more even distribution (from the current xx.20, xx.27, xx.50, xx.57) of London departures from Grays. The current timings being introduced as ‘quick fix’ (to the previous wasteful 4-minute stand at Barking), as a temporary measure, we look to introduction of a much more even distribution of these departure times in December 2005.

Dagenham Dock, Rainham, Purfleet

Currently, outside Lakeside shopping hours, the Rainham route is served only by a Grays – Barking shuttle, contrary to the PSR (Passenger Service Requirement) which requires through services to/from London, right through from around 06.00 to 23.30. c2c have mentioned an intention to restore the through services in the mornings, but only up to approx. 20.00 in the evenings, as from December 2005

Similarly, the PSR is that through trains from London via the Rainham route are to continue through to 23.45. We have already welcomed c2c’s decision to restore an additional through train from London at 22.45 and we therefore look forward to c2c introducing a further late night through service to meet the requirements of the PSR with similar urgency, or at any rate no later than June 2005.

Late Night Services

c2c still appears reluctant to implement a viable late evening service for any of Thurrock, even at the most parsimonious level, such as through half-hourly departures from London to serve all stations from Grays eastwards, alternating between the Rainham and Ockendon routes such that each would each retain just an hourly service as at present. c2c cites high loadings on services via Laindon to justify running 3 per hour rather than ‘only’ the 2 in the PSR, and low loadings on the Thurrock route services as reasons for not increasing from 1 per hour. TRUG maintains that this is precisely because a train every 15-30 minutes constitutes a viable service, while an hourly one (worsened, for some, by the need to change trains as well) does not, and this alone explains the relative loadings; and therefore, a viable service would in due course attract a viable loading, as seems proven on the Laindon route.

Sunday

TRUG acknowledges that the PSR sets no requirement for any service on the Rainham route on Sundays – but at the same time urges c2c to promote demand by reducing intervals to half-hourly, or to run services through to London, or both. However, TRUG despairs that nowhere at all in Thurrock is served after 22.50 from London, in contrast to all other c2c stations which enjoy half-hourly services right through to 00.10, some 80 minutes later. We continue to find this ‘curfew’ unacceptable, both in its direct effect on restraining public transport opportunities AND in its discriminatory nature. We therefore look to c2c to commit to restoring later trains to Thurrock on Sundays, and thereby restore an element at least of consistency across its network.

PSR - Public Service Requirement - This sets out the minimum services/frequencies that c2c should run.

Updated 18/03/2005