Greater Anglia to lay on more trains to help get people back to work

A Greater Anglia train at Colchester station. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Great Anglia has announced it is going to lay on more trains to help people return to work from Monday.

The amended emergency timetable will effectively be like a Saturday timetable, with trains every half an hour from Cambridge to London.

There will also be an increased frequency on the Great Eastern Main Line from Colchester, Clacton and Southend to London, but the Norwich to Liverpool Street service will continue to only run once an hour.

However, bosses are keen to stress that the government advice is still to avoid public transport, and the trains are mainly for key workers to ensure they can get to work safely.

Stations, like Colchester, have been largely deserted during the lockdown. Credit: ITV News Anglia

“Government advice is still to avoid public transport, so please only travel with us if your journey is absolutely essential," Greater Anglia managing director Jamie Burles said.

"We are continuously monitoring passenger numbers to make sure customers can continue to follow Government and Public Health England guidelines on social distancing wherever possible.

“Our top priority is that customers and staff can travel safely while the coronavirus outbreak persists. We will continue to pay particular attention to cleaning high contact areas on our trains and stations such as push buttons, door handles and grab rails."

Passengers are advised to buy tickets online or via the Greater Anglia app, or to pay for tickets via contactless debit cards at ticket vending machines.

People are also being urged to wear face masks when travelling and to follow instructions from staff at stations.

The new Greater Anglia timetable

  • Southend Victoria-Liverpool Street (Every 20 minutes)

  • Stansted Airport-Liverpool Street (Every half an hour)

  • Cambridge-Liverpool Street (Every half an hour)

  • Hertford East-Liverpool Street (Every half an hour)

  • Ipswich-Liverpool Street (plus Norwich to London services) (Every half an hour)

  • Bishops Stortford-Stratford (Every hour)

  • Meridian Water-Stratford (Every hour)

  • Norwich-Liverpool Street (not calling at Colchester or Chelmsford during peak hours) (Every hour)

  • Clacton-Liverpool Street (Every hour)

  • Braintree-Liverpool Street (Every hour)

  • Harwich-Manningtree (Every hour)

  • Walton-Colchester via Colchester Town (Every hour)

  • Southminster-Wickford (Every hour)

  • Sudbury-Marks Tey (Every hour)

  • Norwich-Sheringham, Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth and Cambridge/Stansted Airport (Every hour)

  • Ipswich-Felixstowe, Lowestoft, and Cambridge (Every hour)

  • Ipswich-Peterborough (Every two hours)