COMMUTERS were out in force at Laindon station yesterday to protest against planned rail cutbacks.

Angry commuters, who say they didn’t know about the cuts, handed out leaflets, some missing their trains so they could put the papers on seats.

Protesters from Laindon Passengers’ Group were gathering support for a petition which now has more than 900 signatures.

The planned cuts on trains starting at Laindon mean commuters to London will lose up to 4,460 seats on what is already a busy service.

The passengers’ group was formed by commuters in 2006, when similar cuts emerged.

Its campaign led to rail company c2c reversing its decision, a first-time move in national rail history, and protesters are hoping for the same response this time.

Daniel Pepper, 45, of Berry Lane, Langdon Hills, said: “People here are appalled. First the fares kept on going up and now they are cutting back the service. I’m put out about the whole thing.”

Glen Tilley, 34, of Belstedes, Laindon, said: “I think it’s completely unacceptable.

“It was pandemonium last time – by the time it gets to Upminster the train is completely packed.”

London commuter Craig Phipps, 48, of South Hill, moved to Laindon just so he could get a seat on the train.

He said: “I don’t think it’s justified.

We moved to Laindon from London 14 years ago to get away from all that commuter craziness – and now we can’t even get a seat on the train.

“These cuts are going to be much worse than 2006.”

Lesley Reynolds, 57, of Furze Glade, Laindon Passengers’ Group representative, said: “We feel really disappointed and let down. Last time it was complete chaos. Fifty per cent of people didn’t know and have been saying ‘surely not again?’ People can’t even get on the trains.

“A rewrite of the timetable was a disaster in December 2006 and it will be a similar disaster in December 2015.

“We can’t let it happen again.”

Alan Quilter, 63, Lee Chapel Lane, has been a commuter from Laindon for 45 years. He said: “The majority of people here need this service. Removing the starter trains from Laindon is clearly a backward step.”

RAIL firm c2c is standing by its proposed cuts.

The operator, which runs the line from Shoebury to London Fenchurch Street, has told customers it is to move all starter trains from Laindon to Leigh.

Company bosses believe the numbers would even out as the timetable changes mean the trains coming from Leigh would stop at fewer stations than at the moment.

A spokesman for c2c said: “We understand people’s concerns.

It’s absolutely true you won’t get a seat on some trains.

But what we are proposing is very different to the changes we made in 2006.”