Figures released by Greater Anglia (GA) highlight continuing excellent punctuality results being delivered for customers across East Anglia, with GA one of the best performing train operators in the UK for over 3 years now.
Annual performance for the 12 months to 31 March 2026 using the demanding Time to 3 (T-3) metric, which measures the arrival within 3 minutes of every single train at every single station it serves, is at an impressive 91.84 per cent -– despite a very busy regional network and increasing challenges from extreme weather. This is currently the second highest annual T-3 average nationally, just behind c2c on 91.86 per cent.
The historically high results, being delivered by the train operator for over six years now, include annual performance (again using the T-3 metric) for Great Eastern services across Essex, serving destinations such as Southend, Chelmsford, Braintree, Colchester, Clacton, Harwich, and up to Ipswich in Suffolk, at 92.8 per cent, rural services across Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, plus the Marks Tey to Sudbury line, averaging 93.0 per cent, intercity services between Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester, Chelmsford and London averaging 88.9 per cent, West Anglia services to destinations including Hertford East, Harlow, Bishops Stortford, Cambridge and Ely averaging 91.1 per cent and Stansted Express services at 89.8 per cent. Exceptional annual T-3 results of 93.0 per cent or over have been achieved on seven routes:
- Norwich to Great Yarmouth: 98.0 per cent
- Norwich to Lowestoft: 97.5 per cent
- Marks Tey to Sudbury: 96.0 per cent
- Norwich to Sheringham: 95.9 per cent
- Ipswich to Lowestoft : 94.8 per cent
- Ipswich to Felixstowe: 94.1 per cent
- London to Colchester/Clacton: 93.2 per cent
GA also has the highest national annual average using the “On Time” measure at 80.4 per cent, the highest score on the long standing Public Performance Measure (which measures arrival at destination within 5 minutes) with an annual average of 93.2 per cent and the second lowest rate of cancellations at 1.7 per cent (just behind c2c on 1.6 per cent).
With GA and c2c both now part of on an integrated railway in East Anglia, along with Network Rail Anglia colleagues, it illustrates the very strong performance being delivered in the region, as the organisations work ever more closely together.
Looking back at progress in recent years, using the annual PPM performance results, which enable a comparison of performance over time, punctuality across the Greater Anglia network traditionally tended to average between 87 per cent and 91 per cent, with a previous highest annual result of 92.8 per cent achieved briefly in June 2013. However, over the last six years, annual performance has consistently averaged over 93 per cent all year round – a significant improvement.
The higher performance levels are due to a combination of three main factors – sustained joint work by Greater Anglia and Network Rail to improve performance standards; the better performance provided by the new Greater Anglia trains, which have been phased in over the last 6 years and now operate all Greater Anglia services; and work by Network Rail to improve rail infrastructure reliability.
Commenting on the ongoing positive performance results, Jay Thompson, Train Service Delivery Director, GA said: “We are pleased to be maintaining the consistently high levels of punctuality, for our customers and stakeholders across East Anglia, that have seen us be one of the best performing train operators in the UK for over three years now (and top on a number of measures).
“I would like to pay tribute to the entire team at Greater Anglia. Delivering such impressive results on an ongoing basis is down to the dedication and commitment of my colleagues right across the organisation, be they in operations (such as drivers and conductors), train maintenance (such as our engineering and cleaning teams), customer service (such those working at stations or in on-board catering), or our business support and management teams.
“We are committed to keeping up these very high standards of performance, and looking to improve still further and provide even more consistent performance, to complement the transformation in the journey experience brought by our new trains – with their greater comfort, better facilities (including plug/USB points and Wi-Fi), increased seating capacity and better accessibility.”
GA also won four Train Operator of the Year awards in 2025 (at the Rail Business Awards, Spotlight Rail Awards, National Rail Awards and National Transport Awards) and this year received a record four rail industry Golden Whistles awards for good performance.
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