Greater Anglia’s new ten-carriage trains are now running on the Hertford East line providing many more seats for passengers on this busy commuter route. However, customers are advised to check which carriage they need to use to get on and off because at some stations trains are longer than platforms.
The introduction of new ten-carriage longer trains on the Hertford East line marks a major milestone in Greater Anglia’s £1.4 billion programme to replace every single train on the network with brand new trains.
Greater Anglia has just finished making platforms at Hertford East, Ware, Broxbourne and Stratford long enough for the new ten-carriage trains – with 17 days of intensive works carried out during August.
On Monday 5 September, the first ten-carriage trains – with at least 73% more seats than the old trains they replaced – were put into service on the Hertford East line. The new trains will now call at all stations on the Hertford East/Bishops Stortford to Stratford/London Liverpool Street routes, but platform lengths at some stations mean doors in some carriages will not open at those stations.
The hi-tech trains have special door-opening software which means that doors only open where there is a platform next to them and any other doors not next to a platform remain shut.
Greater Anglia has produced posters for each station affected to show customers where to get on or off the train depending on their journey. There will also be announcements on trains and graphics on passenger information screens on trains and platforms to show passengers which carriage they should travel in.
The information is also available online at www.greateranglia.co.uk/travel-information/station-information.
Passengers should check posters on platforms and listen out to announcements when travelling to or from these stations so that they board the train in the right section so they can get off at their destination.
On ten-carriage trains – which are made up of two five-carriage trains joined together – wheelchair-users should let the member of staff who is assisting them know where they’re getting off to ensure they can get off at their destination. The wheelchair area has a blue stripe with a wheelchair icon on the outside of the train so people can easily see where it is.
Andrew Goodrum, Greater Anglia’s client and programme director, said: “Passengers on the Hertford East line can now see the full benefits of our new longer trains and enjoy more comfortable journeys with many more seats available.
“We’re very grateful to customers on the Hertford East line for their patience this summer while we have carried out works to make platforms longer at Hertford East, Ware and Broxbourne.
“We’re advising customers to check arrangements at some intermediate stations between Hertford East/Bishops Stortford and Stratford/London Liverpool Street as our new commuter trains are still longer than some of the platforms they will be stopping at, especially when they are ten carriages long.
“The trains’ on-board computers are programmed so that doors will only open onto a platform – as is the case with many trains on other railways.
“We will do everything we can to make sure customers know which part of the train they need to be on to get on and off at the start and end of their journey.
“Anyone unsure about which carriage to travel in can ask a member of station staff or contact us using the assistance button on ticket machines which will put them through to a member of staff based in Norwich who will be able to help or tweet @GreaterAnglia.”
Image credit: Greater Anglia
