A RAIL operator has apologised for running trains with fewer carriages and without working toilets following industrial action at its depot.

Bosses at c2c says their trains have been running with “fewer carriages” over the last couple of weeks due to strike action by maintenance contractor Alstom at the firm’s East Ham depot.

You may have seen over the last couple of weeks that we have unfortunately had to run more short forms - or trains with fewer carriages - for a number of our planned train services.

Rob Mullen, c2c managing director, said: “The Alstom Maintenance team at East Ham have been going through their own industrial action for a number of months now. We've not openly commented on this before because we wanted to give the team at Alstom a chance to work with the trade union to come to a resolution. 

“Unfortunately, they haven't managed that yet, resulting in a very real impact on the service we can deliver to you. As well as the number of carriages we have available, this industrial action is also impacting things like working toilets. In hindsight, we should have been clearer earlier about the position this ongoing situation puts c2c in and for that, I apologise.”