Fed-up commuters are being promised only “modest” improvements to trains, despite the service being ranked joint worst in the country.

Greater Anglia came joint bottom in a Which? customer satisfaction survey, scoring just 40 per cent.

Rail users fear the route, which serves eight stations in Braintree district, will not see significant improvement until a new long-term franchise is awarded.

Mark Leslie, chairman of the Kelvedon Rail Users Association, said: “We have very old rolling stock and the Department for Transport keep giving us short franchises, so the companies will not commit to long-term investments."

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