No date set for reopening of broken pier train

A date has still not been fixed for the reopening of Southend Pier's broken train, despite it being damaged more than 600 days ago.

The two electric trains at the seaside attraction have not been used since one of them hit the buffers causing a window to smash on 6 October 2024.

Southend-on-Sea City Council said an investigation into the crash was yet to be completed. The pier's diesel railway service is still operational.

Kursaal ward councillor Matt Dent said: "It is enormously frustrating that we are coming up to two years and this is still going on."

Southend has the longest pleasure pier in the world, at 1.33 miles (2.14km).

The trains run for most of its length, costing £7.70 for an adult return trip, and were opened by King Charles III in March 2022.

Passengers had to make a swift exit from one of the trains - named after the late Southend West MP Sir David Amess - when it struck the buffers, sending shards of glass flying through a carriage.

"[There is] currently no timescale for the electric trains returning to operation," said a spokesman for the council, which is run by Labour.

He added that the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) must sign-off any repairs made before passengers could resume using the service.

Dent, a Labour councillor, said "some running and testing" needed to be done before the service could be restored.

"Residents are rightly frustrated that they pay money for these trains and we can't run them," he added.

"Hopefully we will have them back running soon."

A spokesman for the ORR said is made initial inquiries but handed the investigation over to the council.

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