Norwich to London train hits 30 and 90-minute targets

Currently, journeys from London Liverpool Street take about 70-80 minutes to Ipswich, and two hours to Norwich

A train from Norwich that reached Ipswich in 30 minutes and London in 90 has achieved faster journey targets.

The train left Norwich at 09:00 BST and arrived in London at 10:28 - a trip that usually takes two hours.

Greater Anglia said the train made one stop, at Ipswich, and promised its new rolling stock, soon to be introduced, would serve more stations.

Commuters welcomed the faster trains, but complained that some ticket prices had increased on the summer timetable.

One commuter said the new times to London, faster than the usual 120 minutes, were welcome "in theory" but he wanted to see the new trains in action.

Price rise

A commuter challenged new price rises on Twitter.

He said: "Could you just explain publicly why you keep raising the cost of a service that hasn't improved since I started using it?"

A commuter travelling between Ipswich and Norwich on a day return said the off-peak fare had increased from £18.70 to £19.90.

The company replied it was allowed under its franchise to increase prices in January, May and September.

The summer timetable has seen some price rises for off-peak travel, day travel and for some services for Cambridge and Southend, a spokesman said.

One of the new trains being introduced on East Anglian lines pictured near Ipswich during trials

Greater Anglia said it was investing £1.4bn to replace every train in its fleet by the end of 2020.

Managing director Jamie Burles said he was delighted with the performance in the first 90-minute run, given that it was achieved by an existing train, rather than one of the new ones that will be introduced.

"The new faster service is another big step in the transformation of our railway in East Anglia," he said.

"Longer trains, with more seats, wifi and better passenger information, will be able to accelerate and brake faster."

The new trains will stop at the eight main stations of Diss, Stowmarket, Ipswich, Manningtree, Colchester, Chelmsford, Shenfield, and Stratford, he said.

The current journey between Norwich and Ipswich takes about 40 minutes and to London about two hours.

Chris Starkie, chief executive of the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership which campaigned for better trains, said: "Norfolk and Suffolk need high quality rail infrastructure to support growth."