Members of a rail users’ group are concerned about the status of “vital” trains which run during peak times, after Transport for London failed to include them in its latest timetable.

Barking - Gospel Oak Rail User Group (BGORUG) says five two-carriage diesel trains are missing from the summer timetable, released on Friday (May 18).

But TfL says the trains, which run during rush hour in addition to the regular 15 minute services on the Overground line, will continue to operate until they are replaced by larger capacity electric trains in autumn.

Secretary of BGORUG, Glenn Wallis, said the trains introduced in 2013 to reduce overcrowding, are now effectively “ghost trains”.

Mr Wallis said: “What they (TfL) are doing at the moment is putting the service times on show on the platform, but not on the timetable.

“There’s nothing on paper to show that they’re running and if they don’t run them there’s nothing to show it.

“They can pull them out at the drop of a hat and that’s what we’ve been concerned about.

“They are vital and if they don’t run, some people are going to have to give up and find another way to work, which could be more expensive.”

The new timetable, which came into effect on Sunday (May 20) included a 15 minute change to the regular service on the Barking to Gospel Oak Line.

BGORUG said because TfL gave customers only two days’ notice of the change, its members resorted to leafletting passengers on one train to let them know it would be running 15 minutes later the next time.

A spokesman for TfL said in a statement: “While these additional services are not timetabled, they will operate with a similar frequency as they do now.

“We are committed to continue with the current level of service, wherever possible, ahead of the new electric trains coming into service”.