It has been reported, incorrectly, in the press that c2c intend to reintroduce first class seating to services.

First class was withdrawn from c2c services towards the end of the 1990's when the first class compartments were 'declassified', initially on Thurrock routes, to alleviate overcrowding.

TRUGs stance on the return of First Class is as follows:

(1) If and only if the MAJORITY of trains were monitored, throughout the journey, in all units would it even be feasible in our opinion. Also, lower-density seating would exacerbate crowding at the busiest times, even assuming the proportion (1st vs. Standard) seating is exactly right.

(2) Assuming the current level of manning, i.e. DOO (Driver Only Operation) with roaming 'train hosts' or whatever covering just a tiny percentage of the train miles operated, we will get, as a result, that:
- The higher-ambience seating would be nabbed by the anyone on a first-come first-served basis;
- the soiling and vandalism would presumably be costlier to repair;
- nobody would ever buy a first class ticket because they would be getting nothing not available to standard class ticket holders.

(3) We believe that if any segregation is to happen, there is a far higher demand and support for quiet / non-quiet than for first/standard (even if neither initiative had any effect on total numbers of seats). This has been a constant and emphatic element of our 'passenger concern intelligence' from the Television on Trains  issue. Moreover, and especially with the support of signage /publicity / recorded announcements etc., we believe and contend that this would be 'enforced' informally by peer pressure, rather like non-smoking carriages, in a way that first/standard wouldn't (it's obvious when someone is violating a quiet zone, but not, without possible adversarial confrontation, when a standard-class passenger is in first class!).

We understand that c2c presently have NO plans to introduce first class, citing problems of the impracticality of enforcing it and the reduction of standard class seats, as the main reasons against a reintroduction.

Updated 28/07/2005