A rail watchdog has claimed Braintree passengers are not benefiting fully from the new extended station platform.
Work on the lengthened platform was completed on schedule to coincide with the introduction of the new rail timetable last week.
The aim of the extension is to allow trains with 12 coaches, instead of the traditional eight, to operate on key services such as the 7.27am from Braintree.
This increases capacity into London Liverpool Street Station during the morning peak by 300 seats.
But David Bigg, from Witham and Braintree Rail Users Association, said that passengers between Braintree and Witham were still effectively restricted to eight coaches.
He said: "The work is an improvement cosmetically and an actual improvement for passengers between Witham and Liverpool Street.
"But the rolling stock is of a type class 321 which means that you can't open all the sliding doors on the Braintree platform and effectively means that there are still eight car trains instead of 12".
A spokesman for One Railways said: "We will continue to monitor and review how the new timetable settles in but we will see what feedback we get and tweak things if necessary."
Published Thursday, December 23, 2004
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