FROM Monday, c2c will operate its new timetable.

Whether you are a daily commuter or an occasional passenger, your train times will be changing.

We've looked into the changes, the opposition to them and how it will affect your journey.

C2C: THESE TIMETABLE CHANGES ARE NEEDED

Managing director Julian Drury explains why the changes to the timetable were needed.

He said: “Next week c2c will be introducing the biggest overhaul of our timetable for a decade.

“We know everyone is familiar with their current train times, and c2c is now established as the UK’s most punctual train operator.

“Therefore many people have asked us: why are we changing the timetable?

“The simple answer is because we have to. The most pressing issue is managing crowding – 15per cent more passengers are travelling with c2c compared with five years ago, and a 6 per cent increase year-on-year.

“Because of this c2c has now become the third-most crowded train operator in the South East.

Passengers are regularly standing from stations like Benfleet or Basildon, for journeys of 35-40 minutes.

“The new timetable will help more people travelling long distances to get a seat, and make sure there is more space for those making short journeys to get onboard.

“Passengers at stations like Benfleet, Leigh, Basildon, Chafford Hundred and Ockendon will see big improvements.

“Our second major aim is to improve connections for everyone.

Less than half of trains from the Southend area today stop at West Ham at peak times, even though this offers the quickest journey to Canary Wharf, Westminster or the West End.

“Five years ago no one wanted to travel to Stratford, now it is a major destination. Almost every train will now stop at the major interchange stations in London, improving connections for everyone and relieving pressure on the busiest section of the c2c route, between Barking and West Ham.

“To protect journey times, we have reduced the time it takes between stations to compensate for these additional stops, and also amended our original proposals.

“The fastest trains of the day are now protected, with most other peak journeys at most one or two minutes longer.

“Off-peak journey times have been improved, and we plan to introduce faster journeys in future timetable changes too.

“We know these changes will affect everyone’s morning routine by changing their timetable, but more people will be better-off as a result.

“We don’t make changes like this often, but we are sure it will bring real benefits to more and more of our customers.”

COMMUTERS VOW TO FIGHT THE TIMETABLE CHANGES

COMMUTERS will continue to fight for changes to the new c2c timetable.

Shana Doherty, of Westcliff, commutes into London every day and in October set up a petition to call for amendments to the new services.

She argued the proposed changes, including a requirement to stop at West Ham, Limehouse and Barking, would add 40 minutes on to her journey every day.

The petition scored a mini-victory later in October when c2c relented and amended their timetable on two fast services from Shoebury at 6.48am and 7.18am, but Ms Doherty is still not content.

She said: “It is not good enough. “I have done this in my own time and even taken time off work to meet with people from c2c so it’s been nice to receive letters thanking me for doing it – it shows just how many people it affects and how strongly they feel.

“I would encourage commuters to contact me once the new timetable kicks in so I can go back to c2c and show them where things are going wrong.”

Peter Slattery, chairman of the Southend Rail Travellers Association, has been in talks with the rail operator for months.

The additional stops at West Ham, Limehouse and Barking have been enforced by the Department for Transport as part of the new franchise that was agreed last year.

A public consultation was carried out with passengers in early 2015, but 95 per cent of peak time rail users did not take part, and of the 2,239 people that did, 88 per cent of them opposed the plans.

Following talks with c2c Mr Slattery convinced them to lay on two services that will run non-stop from West Ham to Benfleet during the evening rush hour, but he still wants to see further changes.

He said: “We are still of the opinion that every commuter will have a slower journey with more stops on their service.

“We do not like the timetable at all.

“c2c have been all over the place in terms of telling people that the timetable is changing, so I give them their due for that.

“We will have volunteers monitoring the situation over the first few weeks, checking loading and overcrowding so we can then go back to c2c with evidence and try to get more changes.”