Good and bad points of specific staff and stations

This section addresses good and bad points at specific station and staff, not general issues such as times of last trains, high fares etc. Please let me know about specific issues at specific stations.

Staff and security guards on the trains

• The ticket examiners are always very helpful. Whilst I was not on the train that hit a tractor some time back, I gather staff on the train did an excellent job of managing the situation.
• The security guards seem next to useless, often just sitting on the train chatting, or listening to their music.

Southminster Station

• No reports.

Burnham on Crouch Station

• Gwen in the ticket office is most helpful, will always be honest and do her very best for customers and keeps the station as tidy as she can. Obviously she can not venture onto the line to pick up rubbish dumped there.

  Someone pointed out in the guest book, that Gwen has been awarded an outstanding service award. At the time of writing (9th April 2005) this can be found on the one website but since at some point it is bound to be removed from their site, I have copied the important information and stored this locally, which should be there whenever this web site is running.

• A group of volenteers pick litter up, since the once/week done by the railway (one, Network Rail?) is insufficient. Any reasonable company will pick litter up. Do Sainsbursy's expect volenteers to do it - or Tesco? They must all get litter dropped.

Althorne Station

• The station car park is too small (around 33 cars maximum) and that allocating 3 spaces for drivers with disabled stickers is just too many. That equates to 9.1% of the car parking places.
• The station, along with Station Road seems to be used as a rubbish tip, with several fridges and a car being dumped in the last 6 months or so. Currently (15th May 2005) there is some rubbish down station road, but not fridges or cars.
• Station road is not salted in the winter, which being on a hill is dangerous. Since a car out of control could easily cross the line, there is a potential for a very nasty accident.
• The road is in very poor condition, and need proper attention, not the odd bit of pathing up it seems to get. The reasons for its condition need attention.

Fambridge Station

• No reports.

Woodham Ferrers Station

• People allowed to reach the platform without a ticket when the ticket office is open. If tickets were checked before entering the station, less people would travel for free.

Battlesbridge Station

• No reports.

Wickford Station

• Some staff helpful, others could be far more so.
• Waiting room is now closed on a permanent basis. The problem of vandals should have been address, not just give in to them.
• People allowed to reach the platform without a ticket when the ticket office is open, and many staff sitting around doing nothing. If tickets were checked before entering the station, less people would travel for free.