c2c Overcrowding Relief - M

c2c - M

c2c Overcrowding Relief

As part of the new 2014 franchise, c2c committed to leasing new trains to cope with rising passenger numbers, which were boosted especially by the opening of the Docklands Light Railway station at West Ham in 2011 and the rise of Canary Wharf as a financial centre.

The Class 357 trains had been introduced with high density 3+2 seating, consisting of 282 seats and space for 124 standing, giving a total capacity of 406 passengers per four carriage unit. In late 2015 c2c adapted 20% of its carriages into a "Metro" configuration with seats removed around doorways and in the aisle to provide a 2+2 layout. The Metro configuration consists of 222 seats, space for 334 standing, and a total passenger capacity of 556 per four carriage unit.

This addressed the issue of the high volumes of passengers using c2c to travel to/from West Ham and Barking, which, with Upminster, are served by the parallel London Underground service. In the evening peak, these passengers can displace those eastbound passengers who use more easterly and less well-served stations.

In early 2016, c2c announced that it would lease additional trains to relieve overcrowding. This led to its leasing six Class 387s for three years from Porterbrook to increase capacity on the busiest services. The first entered service in November 2016.

c2c Overview

c2c Franchise(s):

London, Tilbury & Southend: 26 May 1996 – 8 November 2014

Essex Thameside: 9 November 2014 – 18 July 2021

c2c Contract(s): Essex Thameside: 19 July 2021 – 20 July 2025

Main Route(s): Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness

c2c Other Route(s):

Fenchurch Street to Grays via Rainham

Fenchurch Street to Pitsea via Ockendon

Liverpool Street to Shoeburyness

c2c Fleet Size:

74 Class 357 Electrostar sets

c2c Stations Called At: 28

c2c Stations Operated: 25

c2c Parent Company:

Prism Rail (1996–2000)

National Express (2000–2017)

Trenitalia (2017–present)

c2c Headquarters: Cutlers Court, 115 Houndsditch, London

c2c Reporting Mark: CC

c2c Dates of Operation: 26 May 1996–

c2c Predecessor: Network SouthEast

c2c Technical Length: 125.5 kilometres (78.0 mi)

c2c Route Map Legend

London

Fenchurch Street Liverpool Street

Limehouse Stratford

West Ham

East Ham Depot

Barking

Dagenham Dock Upminster

Rainham Ockendon

Purfleet Chafford Hundred

Lakeside

Grays West Horndon

Tilbury Town

East Tilbury Laindon

Stanford-le-Hope Basildon

Pitsea

Benfleet

Leigh-on-Sea

Chalkwell

Westcliff

Southend Central

Southend East

Thorpe Bay

Shoeburyness

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