Central line trains running to and from Epping are to receive major updates during their improvement programme which may not be completed until 2023.

Transport for London (TfL) is expected to spend around £380 million on improving the reliability of Central trains that run through the district.

Carriages will be given new wheelchair space, visual graphic announcements and installed CCTV that will become available between 2020 and 2023.

Councillors Nigel Avey and Steven Neville both met with TfL representatives to discuss the impact of the long-term project would have on residents on Tuesday, December 17.

During the full council meeting, Cllr Avey said: “TfL’s plans have been driven by a need to cure a problem with the train’s engines which have led to a large number of delays on the line.

“TfL will be reducing the number of trains in their fleet to enable this significant maintenance to be undertaken eventually on all trains in the Central Line fleet in a step fashion until 2023.

“This will not be welcomed by residents in the district who use the Central line. I have therefore urged TfL to communicate with residents and this with the Council both before and during this work.”

As of this year, between Debden, Theydon Bois and Epping underground stations, two additional services per hour will be cut to provide major modernisation to the TfL line.

This means in total, only nine trains per hour will run from Debden and Epping will be down from ten to eight services per hour.

In addition, loop services between Hainault and Woodford are also being reduced to a shuttle service three times and hour with less carriages.

TfL are continuing to face pressure to scrap their multimillion programme after a petition created by residents has gained more than 7,000 signatures.