Under-fire train firm c2c was today slammed for breaking its promise not to cut more services in south Essex.

It was revealed today that another service into Fenchurch Street was having the number of carriages slashed from eight to four, leading to more commuter misery. And the decision came just days after c2c bosses met with two south Essex MPs and assured them there would be no further cuts to trains.

A groundswell of public opinion has been building up against the company since it started reducing the length of trains, forcing more travellers to stand on their journeys to and from the City.

c2c has been transferring carriages to a sister line between Northampton and Birmingham, which itself has been short of carriages.

The latest service to be hit is the 8.16am Pitsea to Fenchurch Street train, which had eight carriages long, but is now just four.

This comes after senior c2c figures met with Thurrock MP, Andrew Mackinlay and Basildon MP Angela Smith, and representatives from Thurrock Rail Users' Group at the House of Commons and categorically stated that there would be no further cuts to services.

Mrs Smith said: "They assured us at the meeting that there would be no more cutbacks and that the 2005 timetable would be improved.

"They are not listening to what we are saying and they are not providing the service which our constituents expect."

A c2c spokesperson said: "The reduction of the 8.16am from Pitsea is hopefully just an interim measure. We are hoping to get it back to eight carriages as soon as possible.

"We do have enough rolling stock to provide the capacity the passengers require. The issue is juggling the trains around to get that capacity where it is needed."