MORE than 95% of Greater Anglia trains arrived on time during the Olympics, according to new figures from the region’s rail operator.

Now the company is promising to work hard with Network Rail to try to ensure that statistic continues at the end of the summer of sport in east London after next month’s closing ceremony for the paralympics.

The Olympics saw a significant rise in passengers – the number carried during the period was 3.5million, almost 20% more than the passenger number in the same period last year.

More than 100 additional staff were in place at various locations over the course of the Games. A key focus was on London Liverpool Street and Stratford, but extra customer service staff were also at Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester, Chelmsford, and Cambridge.

Easily identifiable in their smart magenta tabards, with their Olympic handbooks at the ready, these friendly, helpful employees offered valuable information about train services and the Games arrangements.

A spokeswoman for Greater Anglia said the company was now focused on delivering a good service over the Paralympics Games period from 29 August to 9 September, when once again extra seats, additional train services and more staff will be in place to help people travelling to and from the Games.

Ruud Haket, Managing Director said: “I am very pleased that Greater Anglia has played such a key role in making the Olympic Games such a success and extremely proud of the efforts of our employees who worked long and hard to provide the best possible service over the Games period.

“They have been a credit to themselves, the company and the country as we have carried extra passengers, run a very punctual service and proactively sought to make customers’ journeys to and from the Games as smooth as possible.

“We are now fully focused on preparing to perform well again over the Paralympics period and work to continuously improve service standards.”