Published on: Monday, 10 August 2020
Last updated: Monday, 10 August 2020
Punctuality on Greater Anglia trains was 96.2 per cent in July – another very good result, for the fourth successive month, as the company increased train services, with more people travelling again during the easing of lockdown.
Throughout the lockdown period, Greater Anglia provided a punctual and reliable service with its revised timetable for those who needed to travel – with punctuality hitting 97.3 per cent in April, 95.7 per cent in May and 96.2 per cent in June.
On Monday 6 July, a full service was reintroduced on most routes. More customers are gradually returning after the Government said people could once again use public transport for any travel.
Jamie Burles, Managing Director, Greater Anglia said: "I’d like to thank our teams across Greater Anglia for once again providing our customers with an excellent service, despite all the challenges and complications resulting from the pandemic.
"Our teams have again showed their constant focus and adaptability, as the situation evolved in July, with further timetable changes and alterations to travel advice.
"We remain committed to providing the best possible service for everyone who is travelling by train and ensuring everyone can travel safely this summer and beyond."
All routes saw very high performance in July. The top 5 were: Marks Tey to Sudbury, with the best result at 97.8%, followed by London to Southend/Southminster at 97.1%, Ipswich to Felixstowe, 96.9%, Norwich to Sheringham, 96.7% and Norwich to Great Yarmouth line at 96.5%.
Results on other routes were: London to Chelmsford/Colchester/Clacton/Harwich services at 96.4%, Norwich to Cambridge services at 96.3%, Norwich to Lowestoft services, 96.1%, West Anglia services, 96.0%, Norwich/Ipswich – London Intercity services and Ipswich to Cambridge/Peterborough services, 95.3%, Ipswich to Lowestoft services, 95.0% and Stansted Express services at 94.4%.
Greater Anglia will continue to monitor demand on a daily basis and plan for the phased re-introduction of the remaining intercity and Stansted Express services when appropriate.
It is mandatory for customers to wear a face covering at stations and on trains, to help reduce the spread of coronavirus. Children under the age of 11 and people with a disability or illness which means they cannot wear a face covering are exempt from wearing them.
Greater Anglia has launched a "safer travel pledge" outlining the actions it is taking to keep customers safe, and four things passengers can do to help: travelling at quieter times, wearing a face covering, hand washing and checking before you travel.
The company has introduced a wide range of measures to make it easier for customers to maintain social distancing at stations and on trains - including floor markings, one-way systems, new signs and queuing systems.
Hand sanitiser is available at all staffed stations. The company has also stepped up cleaning on stations and trains, concentrating on high-touch areas such as push buttons, grab rails and door handles.
People are advised to spend as little time at stations as possible – buying tickets online or via the Greater Anglia app or using contactless payment at vending machines if they have to buy tickets at the station. However, all ticket offices have now re-opened for those who need to use them.
Customers are asked to try and travel outside the busiest times - details of the busiest trains are available online, to use the whole length of the platforms and trains, to ensure they are as spread-out as possible, and to stand back to let people off the train before boarding.
Passengers should also remain in their seat until they reach their destination, rather than walking down to the front of the train.
Effective partnership working with Network Rail, Stadler, Siemens, the Department for Transport and the Rail Delivery Group has been a key factor in the delivery of such a reliable service for rail travellers in the East of England.
Punctuality figures have mostly been between 90% and 99% on routes across the network throughout the period since the start of the lockdown in March. Additional services were reintroduced from 18 May and again on 15 June - and then back to a full service on most routes from 6 July (other than an increased, but not yet full, intercity service between Norwich and London and a half hourly Stansted Express service).
Full details of all train times and current travel advice are available on the Greater Anglia website.