RAIL: Fenchurch Street ‘Misery Line’ now ‘best in Britain’ says industry

Rail bosses at Fenchurch Street have won a national prestigious award as “best train operators” in Britain after turning a once notorious “Misery Line” into the country’s most punctual.

Their C2C London-to-Southend trains romped in first for the rail industry’s Passenger Operator of the Year award for the first time in the company’s history.

Judges said their new passenger ticket schemes in the past year and maintaining its position as the most punctual train operator in the country was just the ticket.

These include the c2c Smartcard, free wifi at all stations, a new app and discounts on tickets for advance travel, students and seniors since the company won its second consecutive franchise to run the line last November.

The judges at the National Rail Awards said: “It may be one of the smallest train operating companies, but it has risen from ‘the Misery Line’ to the best.”

The company has managed to get its trains arriving on time with an annual punctuality of 97 per cent and ‘best monthly’ average punctuality at 98.8pc. It runs services between Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness, serving 26 stations in East London and South Essex.