More trains, faster trains
December 8th 2008
More trains, faster trains
Britain’s train operators will be running 265,000 more trains a year from 14th December, when the latest national rail timetable starts, says ATOC. Many services will be speeded up and more longer trains will be run.
The new timetable provides:
· 20,728 trains running each weekday, an increase of 3.4% on last year
· Saturday trains increase by 5.2% and Sunday trains by 7.6%
· 20% more trains than the last comparable timetable of BR services in 1996
· Four new stations and two new lines will be opened during the currency of this timetable
· Eight additional towns and cities will be linked by direct train to London for the first time for many years
ATOC’s Chief Executive, Michael Roberts, said:
“The new timetable is a clear demonstration that the railway industry continues to add value for passengers. Train operators are making better use of their resources to achieve major service improvements, starting in the run-up to Christmas – one of the busiest times of the year for the railway.
“The improvements will be felt by people in many parts of the country, whether they are regular commuters or occasional travellers on the main inter-city routes.
“A particularly welcome feature is the growth in weekend services. This reflects a determination by train companies to meet peoples’ changing travel patterns and a commitment to work with others in providing a railway that is open for business.”
Completion of the West Coast Route Modernisation project, in particular, will bring big improvements for passengers:
· 30% increase in the number of Virgin trains on the route
· 60% increase at weekends
· 13 million additional seats will be provided each year
· Trains every 20 minutes between London, Manchester and Birmingham
· Faster journey times, e.g. London - Manchester in 1hr 58m, Glasgow in 4hr 10m
The new timetable operates from Sunday 14th December to Saturday 16th May, 2009
Subscribe or spread the word:
