Calls For Rail Improvements

20 May 2010, 15:17 | Updated: 20 May 2010, 15:28

More late night trains, Boxing Day services, new carriages and better handling of disruption.

Those are just a few of the improvements Passenger Focus have told the Government we want to see on the East Anglia rail-line.

A new company will take over the route, which includes the Cambridge to London Liverpool Street service, in April next year.

The watchdog carried out a survey of 3,000 passengers, to find out what aspects of their journey they would like to be improved when that new firm takes over.

Better punctuality and more comfortable trains come top of that list.

Anthony Smith, Passenger Focus chief executive, said: "Many of the trains used on the Liverpool Street routes and in East Anglia are more than 30 years’ old.

We have seen on other parts of the rail network that investment pays off, with real improvements in passenger satisfaction. Passengers in East Anglia have waited long enough for some overdue investment.

Even greater focus on running trains on time is also needed under the new franchise."

Passenger Focus will now pass the results of the survey to the government.

Other recommendations include improvements to ticketing, better disruption handling, the introduction of boxing day trains and more services late at night.

Click here to get the full results of the Passenger Focus survey.