The fastest ever train service between Norwich and London has started today – cutting down the scheduled journey time to just 90 minutes.

The launch of faster trains between East Anglia and London was heralded as “the start of the transformation of rail services in the region”.

From today, Greater Anglia is running four extra services between Norwich, Ipswich and London Liverpool street.

Fastest journey times between Norwich and London are now 90 minutes and just 55-57 minutes between Ipswich and London on these extra four services a day.

Punctuality across the Greater Anglia network has improved for a fifth consecutive month, with over nine out of ten trains running on time, according to the latest figures.

Train operator Greater Anglia has announced that 93.07% of its services ran on schedule in April 2019, continuing an upward trend in punctuality since the beginning of the year.

Hundreds of people took part in Mistley’s annual charity event, The Witchfinder Trail fun run, and the organisers have announced that thousands have been raised for a local charity.

The railway and community pulled together to raise vital funds for residential home for adults with learning disabilities, Acorn Villages, beating last year’s amount.

The totals are now in revealing that £3,800 was raised during the event.

The Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership sponsored the event by funding trophies and medals for all the participants.

Life-saving heart resuscitators have been installed on platforms at Marks Tey and Manningtree, thanks to funding by the Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership.

The Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are small, safe and lightweight and deliver a shock to treat someone in cardiac arrest. They can also monitor the heart’s activity and give instructions to the users.

Anyone can use them. If there is an incident on the station, call 999 to be given a code to open the defibrillator’s storage box.

A tight-knit local community celebrated the 175th anniversary of its railway station – described as a “taste of the kingdom of heaven” by the Bishop of Chelmsford.

VIPs, celebrities, civic dignitaries and over 100 residents took part in the special event at Ingatestone railway station on Sunday 12 May.

Amongst the attendees were former Olympic gold medallist, Fatima Whitbread, former England cricketer Graham Gooch, Brentwood MP Alex Burghart, Lord John Petre, Lord Eric Pickles and the Bishop of Chelmsford.

Passengers are reminded to plan their journeys in advance as in two weeks, there will be no trains between Southend Victoria and Wickford for nine days as part of a £46m upgrade of the overhead wires.

Between Saturday 25 May and Sunday 2 June (inclusive), the railway line between Wickford and Southend Victoria will be closed.