Rail operator c2c has insisted its customers will not lose more modern trains to Liverpool Street line passengers, despite staff claiming a "swap" arrangement is down the line.

Already the Fenchurch Street to Shoebury line has lost five four-carriage 357 Electrostar trains to the One Great Eastern line, which runs from Southend Victoria to Liverpool Street and is run by the same parent company, National Express.

Just last week, the Competition Commission ruled there would be no substantial loss of competition on the two lines, despite concerns National Express could transfer rolling stock and set unreasonable ticket prices.

But two employees of One Great Eastern told the Echo the One line was being given priority by the parent company and would be given c2c's newer trains.

One employee claimed: "The Liverpool Street line will eventually be given all of the c2c trains in a swap deal for their current stock.

"As the Great Eastern trains have fewer seats, there will be more overcrowding on the already-packed c2c line.

But a spokesman for c2c insisted: "There are no plans to move any more units across to One." He added: "Before we move any carriages anywhere, there are checks involving the number of passengers. "The capacity on c2c trains is well within guidelines and we continue to constantly monitor our service."

The Echo this week joined a rush-hour c2c train between London and Southend and discovered many passengers were left with standing room only. One traveller said he had been forced to stand almost 40 times in the past two months.