A RAIL company has been called disgusting and Dickensian for allowing raw sewage to pour on to tracks.

Trains on the Abellio Greater Anglia line do not have sewage storage tanks, so toilets are flushed directly onto the line.

One resident has complained to the company about the problem at Prittlewell station where toilet paper and faeces can be clearly seen and the recent hot weather has caused the waste to smell badly.

The resident, who asked not to be named, said he had complained repeatedly to the company about the problem.

He said: “The line is in a disgusting state. There’s toilet paper and other stuff.

“The complaints procedure is automated and anyone using it is wasting their time. You just get an automatic response from someone who has no idea what it’s about and nothing gets done.

“I believe there is a public health issue here, particularly in the warm weather we’ve had recently.

“It’s bad at Prittlewell, but its all along the track to Shenfield.

“I am told none of the trains on the line have holding tanks, so when toilets are flushed it goes straight on the line. There are signs on the trains asking people not to use the toilets in stations but they are ignored.”

The Department for Transport has begun the search for the next franchise operator, as Abellio Greater Anglia’s contract runs out in October 2016.

The franchise covers rail services across the East Anglia region, including the Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street line.

Martin Terry, councillor responsible for public protection, said the decision on a new operator couldn’t come soon enough.

He said: “People are very dissatisfied with all aspects of the service including this, which is disgusting.

“I hope we will be provided with the same quality of service as on the c2c line when the franchise is up. This is just one of a number of issues with this company.

It’s quite disgusting and Dickensian to have this discharge on to the track.

“We need to get on with the new franchise and get it sorted.”