C2c has announced a raft of changes to its services in south Essex coming into effect next week.

The announcement comes following a big drop in the number of passengers on trains due to the Government advice to work from home.

The firm will be reducing its services in response to this, with the changes coming into effect from Monday (January 17).

A c2c spokesman said: “This means we can provide a more reliable service, given our increased staff sickness rates.

“It will also enable us to save taxpayer money, as passenger demand has fallen significantly in recent weeks.

“We will run this new timetable until further notice.”

The full timetable is available on the c2c website, but below are the changes being made to peak-time services.

Services via Basildon

All trains that are normally 12-carriage services are reduced to 8-carriage trains.

Services via Ockendon

The following trains are cancelled:

• 06.31 Grays-Fenchurch Street service

• 07.01 Grays-Fenchurch Street service

• 07.31 Grays-Fenchurch Street service

• 08.01 Grays-Fenchurch Street service

• 17.25 Fenchurch Street-Grays service

Services via Rainham

The following trains are cancelled:

• 05.21 Shoeburyness-Fenchurch Street service

• 06.46 Southend Central-Fenchurch Street service

• 06.52 Grays-Fenchurch Street service

• 07.35 Pitsea-Fenchurch Street service

• 08.34 Pitsea-Fenchurch Street service

• 09.41 Grays-Fenchurch Street service

• 16.07 Fenchurch Street-Grays service

• 16.37 Fenchurch Street-Shoeburyness service

• 17.07 Fenchurch Street-Pitsea service

• 17.37 Fenchurch Street-Pitsea service

• 18.07 Fenchurch Street-Southend Central service