Improved capacity, better stations and reducing the number of bus replacement services should be immediate priorities on the new Greater Anglia and Essex Thameside franchises, which are due to start in 2011, says London TravelWatch in its responses to the Department for Transport’s consultations.

London TravelWatch said: “Our priorities for both new franchises, due to start next year, are for more trains to increase capacity and to improve the quality of replacement services during engineering work. Both routes are important, busy routes for commuting and leisure, and journey opportunities need to be improved.”

In its response, London TravelWatch has also called for stations on this line to be improved significantly.

London TravelWatch continued: “Many stations on these lines are well below what passengers expect. They are poorly signed, provide inadequate information and some are untidy and cluttered.

London TravelWatch’s response to the DfT's Greater Anglia Franchise and Essex Thameside Franchise consultations can be downloaded.

For more information, please contact the London TravelWatch press office on 020 7726 9953 or 07734 055494.

The voice of London's transport users
21 April 2010