RAIL company c2c has continued to defend its controversial new timetable after it admitted making the changes to cater for demand from London commuters.

Trains on the Shoebury to London Fenchurch Street line were changed on December 13 and commuters have complained of overcrowding, slow running trains, and more services stopping at east London stations.

A leaked letter from the Department for Transport to Basildon and Billericay Tory MP John Baron suggests there were no restrictions as to where the trains should stop when they invited tenders for the franchise.

However, c2c has repeatedly told customers its franchise agreement means 95 per cent of their trains now have to stop at West Ham, Limehouse and Barking, in East London.

The letter, dated April 15 last year – after c2c was given the contract – said the Department for Transport wanted to hear ideas about how to improve the efficiency of the line and increase capacity in and out of London at peak times.

The department said there were no requirements to make trains stop at specific stations.

But c2c now admits the contractual requirement to stop 95 per cent of their trains at east London stations was brought in after the train operator suggested it voluntarily, as part of their franchise bid.

A spokesman for c2c said: “The Government’s original requirements included a reduction in the level of crowding west of Barking into Fenchurch Street, using the London-wide ‘passengers in excess of capacity’ measure.

“Our proposal to meet this requirement was the new timetable, which included stopping additional trains at Barking, West Ham and Limehouse to cater for the demand.

“This is why stopping 95 per cent of services at these stations became a contractual part of our franchise agreement, and why it is supported by both c2c and the Government.”