Editing C2c (section)

{{Short description|British train operating company}}
{{Other uses|C2C (disambiguation)}}
{{Technical|date=January 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{lowercase title}}
{{Infobox rail company
|name             = c2c
|logo             = C2c logo.svg
|logo_size        = 170
|image            = 357317 at Southend East.jpg
|caption          = [[British Rail Class 357|Class 357 ''Electrostar'']] at {{rws|Southend East}} in November 2020
|franchise        = {{ubl|London, Tilbury & Southend: 26 May 1996 {{ndash}} 8 November 2014|[[Essex Thameside]]: 9 November 2014 {{ndash}} 18 July 2021}}
|contract         = Essex Thameside: 19 July 2021 {{ndash}} 20 July 2025
|start_year       = {{start date|1996|5|26|df=y}}
|nameforarea      = route
|abbr             = CC
|regions          = {{rws|Fenchurch Street}} to {{rws|Shoeburyness}}
|secregions       = {{ubl|Fenchurch Street to {{rws|Grays}} via {{rws|Rainham|London}}|Fenchurch Street to {{rws|Pitsea}} via {{rws|Ockendon}}|{{rws|Liverpool Street}} to Shoeburyness}}
|fleet            = {{ubl|[[British Rail Class 357|Class 357 ''Electrostar'']] | [[British Rail Class 720|Class 720 ''Aventra'']] }}
|stations         = 28
|stationsop       = 25
|length           = {{convert|125.5|km|mi}}
|parent_company   = {{ubl|[[Prism Rail]] (1996{{ndash}}2000)|[[National Express]] (2000{{ndash}}2017)|[[Trenitalia]] (2017{{ndash}}present)}}
|headquarters     = 7th Floor, Centennium House, 100 Lower Thames Street, London, EC3R 6DL
|website          = {{Official URL}}
|routemap         = {{C2C RDT}}
|predecessor_line = [[Network SouthEast]]
}}

'''Trenitalia c2c,''' [[trading name|trading as]] '''c2c,''' is a British [[train operating company]] that operates commuter services from its London terminus at {{rws|Fenchurch Street}} to parts of East London and south Essex along the [[London, Tilbury and Southend line]], as part of the [[Essex Thameside]] railway contract. It manages 25 stations and its trains call at 28. It is owned by [[Trenitalia]], the primary train operator of [[Italy]].

After the [[privatisation of British Rail]], the London, Tilbury & Southend railway franchise was awarded to [[Prism Rail]], who began operating as '''LTS Rail''' in May 1996. To fulfil its original franchise commitment of replacing its [[Slam-door train|slam-door]] rolling stock, LTS Rail ordered 44 [[British Rail Class 357|Class 357 ''Electrostar'']] [[electric multiple unit]]s (EMUs) in 1997; an additional order two years later saw the replacement completed by 2003. During 2000, LTS Rail rebranded as c2c, the same year Prism Rail was acquired by [[National Express]].

The original franchise was scheduled to conclude on 26 May 2011, but received multiple extensions before National Express was awarded a second franchise in 2014. Various service changes and amenities have been introduced over the course of the two franchise periods, including the fitting of [[Regenerative brake|regenerative braking]] to its rolling stock (the first UK train operator to do so) in March 2007, the launch of Quiet Zones onboard its trains in early 2008, the provision of [[Wi-Fi]] in April 2017, and the rolling out of [[Oyster card (pay as you go) on National Rail|pay-as-you-go]] and [[Smartcards on National Rail|National Rail ITSO smartcard]] ticket options over multiple years.

In February 2017, National Express sold c2c to Trenitalia. During December of that year, c2c announced an order with [[Porterbrook]] for six [[British Rail Class 720|Class 720/6 ''Aventra'']] EMUs in response to growing demand; these were introduced in September 2023. Largely in response to the [[COVID-19]] pandemic, the franchise agreement was replaced by a rail contract on 19 July 2021 under which services have continued to be run. In February 2023, the [[Department for Transport]] (DfT) announced the extension of c2c's contract through to July 2025. c2c was one of several train operators impacted by the [[2022–2024 United Kingdom railway strikes]].

The company will be [[renationalised]] and taken over by [[Great British Railways]] when its contract expires on 20 July 2025