Greater Anglia will install tables on trains used on its Stansted Express services and on intercity services from London to Colchester, Ipswich, and Norwich.
The tables are due to be fitted to the Stansted Express trains, and passengers on Greater Anglia's intercity services will also benefit as the trains used for Stansted Express services also operate a few of those services.
Although most seats are already fitted with airline-style fold-down, seat-back tables, none of the bays of four seats have tables.
The reason for the lack of tables is that at the time the train designs were specified, it was expected that Stansted Express trains would be used on the Great Eastern Main Line just a few times each day.
Since then, there have been changes in passenger demand profiles and operating schedules, and improvements to the rail infrastructure upgrades that see the trains on more services than anticipated.
Customer feedback has shown that passengers value the provision of tables, both on intercity and Stansted Express services as when sitting in bays of four seats, tables allow them to work more easily, use laptops, and place papers, books, or drinks.
Greater Anglia has worked with Stadler, which built and maintains the trains, with a plan to install tables in all bays of four seats on Stansted Express trains.
Because most of Greater Anglia's intercity and Stansted Express trains are in service for most of the week, instead of taking a full train out of service for several weeks at a time, installation of the tables will be phased.
That will allow Greater Anglia services to maintain their excellent performance and availability, which is currently consistently the most punctual and reliable in the UK.
Passengers will begin to see more and more tables from this autumn onwards, with completion due by the end of next year.
Martin Moran, Greater Anglia's Commercial and Customer Service Director said: “We are pleased to be delivering this significant upgrade, which will provide a better service for our customers, and which directly addresses feedback from passengers on the need for tables on all of our intercity services.
“We always seek to address our customers' priorities for high service standards and ongoing improvements. Our high-quality new trains have been very well received, but this was a further enhancement which had been highlighted by many customers, so we're glad to be able to confirm we will now be fitting tables throughout our Stansted Express trains, with benefits for both our Stansted Express and intercity customers.”
