Virgin eyes improved services
26 Apr 2006
Virgin Trains are eyeing improved hourly frequencies between London and other major cities as the company looks to win the expanded Cross Country franchise.Sir Richard Branson, head of Virgin Rail Group, said that trains were planned every 20 minutes between Manchester and London by 2008, with Birmingham to London running three trains an hour.
In addition there will be an hourly service from Glasgow to the capital, and every 30 minutes from Liverpool. The frequency from Manchester would, Virgin claim, be the in the best in the world on any multi-operator route over 300km.
Virgin also plan improved frequencies to Chester and north Wales, e-ticketing, on-board mobile and wi-fi facilities, and even a personal chauffeur service. They are also looking to quicken train speed, add more trains and carriages and enhance station car parking.
Sir Richard hopes that these announcements will help them pre-qualigy for the new look Cross Country franchise, to be awarded in November 2007.
He said: “We’ve started so we’ll finish. We have developed close partnerships with government, Network Rail and key suppliers such as Alstom and Bombardier to bring huge improvements to customers.”
Tony Collins, chief executive of Virgin Trains, added: “We need to look at more Pendolino trains and more carriages on existing trains, otherwise we will inhibit further growth. We also need to improve car parking ay stations.
“We are also talking with Network Rail about running at 135mph on some parts of the route – we believe we can do this and build on the success we have already seen.”