Published on: Tuesday, 12 May 2020
Last updated: Tuesday, 12 May 2020
Greater Anglia is set to change its reduced emergency timetable and increase train services, to help maintain social distancing as more people return to work, and ensure that keyworkers can continue to travel safely.
From Monday 18 May, Greater Anglia will run an amended Saturday timetable, which sees increased frequency on the Great Eastern Main Line from Colchester, Clacton and Southend to London and the West Anglia Main Line from Cambridge to Liverpool Street.
Regional lines will remain as they are currently, but the hourly Norwich to Cambridge service will now run as a direct through service to Stansted Airport again.
The Norwich-London intercity service, will continue to run once an hour, but during peak periods will not call at Colchester or Chelmsford running non-stop between Manningtree and Stratford.
Passengers at Colchester will be served by three trains per hour and at Chelmsford by four trains per hour on the Great Eastern Main Line.
Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director said: "Government advice is still to avoid public transport, so please only travel with us if your journey is absolutely essential.
"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.
"We would kindly encourage customers to buy tickets online or via our app. If that’s not possible then please use contactless payment on our ticket vending machines.
"We have marked up stations with tape and markings to help customers to socially distance. A one door in and one door out system may be in operation on some trains or stations, please look or listen out for instructions from our staff.
"There are other ways that customers can help us to keep them safe – please consider starting or finishing work earlier or later so that not everyone is travelling at the same time.
"The Government is also advising people to wear a face covering when using public transport."
The revised timetable will be as follows, with full details available on the Greater Anglia website and app.
Every 20 minutes
Southend Victoria-Liverpool Street
Half-hourly
Stansted Airport-Liverpool Street
Cambridge-Liverpool Street
Hertford East-Liverpool Street
Ipswich-Liverpool Street (plus Norwich to London services)
Hourly
Bishops Stortford-Stratford
Meridian Water-Stratford
Norwich-Liverpool Street (not calling at Colchester or Chelmsford during peak hours)
Clacton-Liverpool Street
Braintree-Liverpool Street
Harwich-Manningtree
Walton-Colchester via Colchester Town
Southminster-Wickford
Sudbury-Marks Tey
Norwich-Sheringham, Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth and Cambridge/Stansted Airport
Ipswich-Felixstowe, Lowestoft, and Cambridge
Two-hourly
Ipswich-Peterborough