DISGRUNTLED rail passengers have received £2.3million in compensation by Greater Anglia, shock figures show.

The compensation was paid out because of delayed trains or poor service over the past year.

The train operator runs services across East Anglia, but also the line between Southend Victoria and London Liverpool Street.

In comparison, c2c, which operates the Shoebury to London Fenchurch Street line, paid out £23,000 between November 2014 and April this year.

Ian Edwards, 44, who runs the Greater Anglia Complaints website, said: “The service is unbelievable.

“Whenever I seem to apply for compensation I get turned down and have to appeal, so that figure should actually be even more.

“We’re all feeling very fed up.

“This week is the first time I’ve been on time for work everyday, and I’m shocked.”

The figures were released by the Campaign for Better Transport and show Greater Anglia paid out the compensation in the 2014/2015 financial year.

Derek Monnery, chairman of the Essex Rail Users group, was not surprised by the figures.

He said: “Obviously the c2c line is a lot smaller, probably about a tenth of the size. Even so, Greater Anglia has paid out a lot more compensation.

“I would say c2c is pretty good whereas the Greater Anglia system is one which needs a lot of work. The trains are old and the system is unreliable.

“I think it’s good that train companies are having to pay out when compensation when trains are late or service is poor.”

Train firms across the country operate Delay Repay schemes, which normally means passengers can apply for compensation is they are delayed by more than 30 minutes.

This is normally provided through National Rail vouchers.

Compensation is also handed out for poor service, including dirty trains or broken information screens. C2c only launched its DelayRepay programme nine months ago, while Greater Anglia has operated a compensation scheme since February 2012.

In its first year £120,000 was handed out, but this rose to £1.5million the following year.

Bad weather, fatalities and engineering work blamed for most delays

GREATER Anglia claims bad weather, fatalities, over running engineering work and infrastructure faults is to blame for delays.

The firm also claims more people are now aware of the Delay Repay scheme than in previous years.

A spokeswoman said: “The compensation paid to customers reflects both increased disruption in the 2014/15 year and a deliberate effort to make it easier for passengers to claim. We have continued to promote the ways in which passengers can claim delay repay compensation, to make the process more transparent.

Earlier this year, we introduced an online delay repay scheme for season ticket holders.”

C2c is the first train firm in the country to offer compensation after two minutes, and soon this will automatically be handed out without passengers needing to apply.

A spokesman for the company, part of National Express, said: “As Britain's most punctual train operator, we will always aim to keep such delays to an absolute minimum, but passengers now have the guaranteed right to compensation if they do happen.

“We know that passengers want punctuality, reliability and good value.

That’s why in the next few months c2c is introducing automatic compensation for passengers when they are delayed for as little as two minutes.

“We believe we are the first train operator in the world to do so, and we are proud the Government is so impressed with our scheme it is asking other train companies to follow suit?"