Train bosses are pledging to improve the service on a heavily criticised branch line with a new “plan of action”.

Greater Anglia says its improvement plan will aim to reduce the amount of cancellations due to problems on the mainline, increase staff hours and offer buses when necessary.

A shuttle service between Braintree and Witham is also expected to be introduced from May 2020 while ways of allowing trains to go faster on the route are being investigated.

Bosses say the branch is vulnerable to cancellations because most of trains begin their journeys on the mainline and the single track means knock-on delays are inevitable when one train is late.

Richard Packer, head of operational services, said: “Even saving a minute or two would significantly improve reliability because it would allow a bigger gap between one train leaving the single line section and the next train entering it, giving the service more resilience.

“We are committed to exploring every possibility for the future, as well as making all the improvements we can now, so that we can provide a much better service to passengers on this line.”

It comes after Braintree MP James Cleverly raised doubts in a letter to transport minister Andrew Jones in which he said the line was “not given equal priority” as elsewhere and claimed passengers were “feeling very cynical”.

His damning assessment came following a chaotic Christmas period and a disruptive start to 2019, which saw commuters face long delays and cancellations.

The new plan also addresses concerns raised by Mr Cleverly that Braintree station is not always staffed with Greater Anglia promising it will make “every effort will be made to ensure Braintree is staffed.”

Mr Cleverly said: “Greater Anglia need to look imaginatively at ways of improving the experience of passengers on the Braintree line.

“I am pleased it has put forward an improvement plan to reduce cancellations, increase the staff time at Braintree, and explore ways to reduce the time taken to put on bus replacement services, when required.

“I will follow developments closely over the coming months.”