LONDON - More Frequent Departures and Even Faster Journeys are on the Virgin Trains Agenda as Demand for Rail Travel Grows and Air Goes Into Decline
Virgin Trains is going all out for the Glasgow market, having grounded the airlines between Liverpool and London and become the travel mode of choice for Manchester-London.
Today Tony Collins, Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Trains, fleshed out more details of the Virgin 2020 vision that was outlined by Sir Richard Branson last month.
Mr Collins explained how schedules can be reduced still further, including getting the journey time between London and central Glasgow below four hours, with at least one train every hour once more trains are introduced.
He pointed to the potential for further reductions in timings and confirmed that Virgin Trains plans even better timetables on the West Coast Main Line linking Scotland, North West England, North Wales and the West Midlands to London Euston.
Rail’s share of the rail-air market is now 100 per cent on the Liverpool route and 77 per cent and growing for Manchester. Now there are clear signs that people travelling between Glasgow and London are also joining the trend to rail.
“Rail’s market share between Glasgow and London is set to reach double what it was five years ago and Virgin is convinced we can do much better than that. There is no reason why rail cannot win half of the entire Glasgow market once timings are below four hours,” Tony Collins said.
“We used to be the minority carrier between Manchester and London. But now almost everybody goes by train to take advantage of uninterrupted, useful journey time rather than waste time flying. There is no good reason why rail should always continue to be the minority carrier for the Glasgow market,” he added.
Rail’s share of the Glasgow/London rail-air market was only 6 per cent five years ago but in the six months to February 2009, rose from 9 per cent to 11 per cent, even before the full benefit of the new Virgin Trains timetable was felt. The delivery of a best weekday schedule of 4 hours 10 minutes from 16 February and better weekend services since last month mean that Virgin Pendolino trains are even more competitive with air. Typical journey time from London Euston is 4 hours 31 minutes..
Opportunities for speed improvements and extra trains are being investigated. A scheduled time of less than four hours between London and Glasgow is practical.
By 2015 Virgin Trains would transform more stations into superb assets for the communities they serve. At Carlisle, the true beauty of restored historic elegance would link with the finesse of high-quality present and future customer service. There is also considerable scope for improvement at Crewe and Preston in the early years of a new franchise.
Virgin aims to further improve journey times for Liverpool, North Wales and Manchester as well as Glasgow, and deliver new London services for Nuneaton and even more trains for the West Midlands too if granted a long enough franchise to fund such service enhancement.
New high-speed tracks, Heathrow Airport and HS1 for the Continent would all link to an enhanced West Coast Main Line.
Virgin Trains Media Information
Images of Virgin Trains and the company’s operations are available on our online media website www.virgintrainsmediaroom.com. You will need to register to access the Media Resources section containing high-resolution images of our operations.
Virgin Trains is the brand name of Virgin Rail Group. We have operated the West Coast passenger train franchise since 1997; the current franchise runs to March 2012.
Virgin Rail Group is owned 51 percent by Virgin Group and 49 percent by Stagecoach.
Virgin Trains has been listed as the Best Train Operator in a survey by the Institute of Customer ; voted Best Rail Company by Travel Weekly magazine; Best UK Domestic Train Service by Business Traveler magazine and favorite train operator by readers of the London Evening Standard.
Source: Virgin Trains
For further information please contact: Virgin Trains Press Desk on +44(0)845-000-3333 or visit virgintrainsmediaroom.com
Related Press Releases
Cheaper Virgin Trains-Only Fares Available on Even More Services in the North WestAugust 11th, 2009 LONDON -
- Cheaper Train Fares are now Available Between Stockport and Macclesfield/Stoke-on-Trent/Crewe and Between Macclesfield and Stoke-on-Trent
Virgin Trains is extending the availability of its cheaper Virgin Trains-only fares to include journeys between Stockport and Macclesfield/Stoke-on-Trent/Crewe and between Macclesfield and Stoke-on-Trent. The price bonanza is part of a package to offer cheaper rail travel on key shorter-distance journeys.
More Great Deals Available on Virgin Trains' Liverpool RouteAugust 11th, 2009 LONDON -
- Cheaper Fares Now Available Between Liverpool and Runcorn
Virgin Trains is extending the availability of its cheaper Virgin Trains-only fares to include journeys between Liverpool and Runcorn. This great offer is part of a package to offer cheaper rail travel on key shorter-distance journeys.
Branson Calls on Government to Re-Let East Coast Franchise as Soon as PossibleJune 30th, 2009 LONDON - Commenting on the Government's decision to take the East Coast franchise in to temporary public ownership, Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group said: "Should the East Coast franchise go into default, the Government has made the right decision to take it back. If you bid for a car, a painting or a house and can't pay for it, it always reverts back to the under-bidder or the owner.
Good, but not yet Good Enough, says Virgin TrainsJune 29th, 2009 LONDON - Virgin Trains today welcomed news that more and more customers are satisfied with their journeys, but admitted "Our performance is not good enough yet". Latest figures from the National Passenger Survey for Spring 2009 show that Virgin Trains has increased to 86per cent the overall satisfaction score from its customers, from 85per cent in 2008.
Rubens Barrichello Makes a Wembley Pit Stop!June 16th, 2009 LONDON - With Photos
Formula 1 driver Rubens Barrichello made a pit stop with a difference today. He was onboard a Virgin Pendolino train to launch Alstom's new pit stop approach to train maintenance at Wembley depot in North London.
Virgin Trains Welcomes Office of Rail Regulation Action on Poor Network Rail PerformanceJune 2nd, 2009 LONDON - We welcome Network Rail and the Office of Rail Regulation's acknowledgement of the unsatisfactory performance on the West Coast Main Line, which is vindication of the warnings we have given both organisations over the last three years. We are disappointed that NR have spent GBP9 billion on the "upgrade" to deliver the worst performing route on the rail network today.
Airlines Driven Out of Skies by Virgin Trains' High Frequency ServiceMay 31st, 2009 LONDON - The Manchester to London rail route continues to flourish with journeys increasing by 12.6% over the last six months despite the recession. Increasingly passengers are choosing rail over air for their journeys between two of the country's biggest commercial hubs.
A Touch of Virgin Luxury at Euston StationApril 27th, 2009 LONDON - Thursday 30 April sees the opening of Virgin Trains' smartly refurbished and significantly extended First Class lounge at Euston. Open seven days a week the lounge can be used by anyone with a valid First Class ticket from Virgin or First ScotRail.
Virgin Trains Will Run Extra Trains for Football Fans Travelling Back From the Champions League Semi-FinalsApril 16th, 2009 LONDON - Virgin Trains will be running additional late evening trains to get fans home after the Champions League Semi-Final football matches between Manchester United and Arsenal. There will be one extra train after each of the two matches.
Virgin Trains Will Run Extra Trains for Football Fans Travelling to the FA Cup Semi-FinalMarch 25th, 2009 LONDON - Virgin Trains will be providing nearly 3,000 extra seats for Manchester
United and Everton fans travelling to and from London for the FA Cup
Semi-Final. The company will be running six extra trains on Sunday 19 April.
Related News
Richard Branson draws criticism for dressing up as a cleanerMay 6th, 2009 LONDON - British billionaire businessman Richard Branson has incurred the wrath of trade union leaders by dressing up as a station cleaner in a TV commercial promoting his Virgin Trains network. Branson, who also owns the Virgin Atlantic airline, appeared in the ad wearing an orange fluorescent jacket, his forearms covered in fake tattoos and some of his front teeth blacked out, as he drives a refuse cart through the main train station in Glasgow, Scotland.
Train driver faces dismissal after sex act at the wheel allegationsJuly 18th, 2009 LONDON - A Brit train driver may lose his job following claims that he pleasured himself at the controls of a 125mph locomotive. The driver has been accused of ogling porn and performing a sex act while operating on one of the country's busiest lines, and a colleague allegedly wandered into his cabin mid-journey and spotted that his privates were exposed.
Clear sky, morning mist expected in coming daysJanuary 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Delhiites can finally enjoy the winter sun with the weather department Wednesday predicting misty mornings followed by clear skies in the days to come. 'There will be mainly clear skies and a little mist in the morning in the coming days,' said an official at the Safdarjung Metrological office here.
Virgin America wants feds to close case challenging its US citizenship statusSeptember 3rd, 2009 Virgin America wants case ended on its citizenshipATLANTA — Privately held air carrier Virgin America is asking the Department of Transportation to deny Alaska Airlines' repeated challenges to its U.S. citizenship status and close the case.
Virgin America, TuVox extend relationship through 2012August 31st, 2009 Virgin America, TuVox extend dealBURLINGAME, Calif. — Privately held air carrier Virgin America has renewed its partnership for three years with a company that provides call routing and voice self-service applications.
Richard Branson loses legal battle over 'virgin' trademarkJuly 28th, 2009 LONDON - Brit industrialist Sir Richard Branson has lost the sole use of the word 'virgin' in branding, after a court ruling on July 27. The court ruled in favour of South African company Bodtrade, which was granted a trademark to use the phrase: "You can't be a virgin all your life, it's time", reports the Sun.
Sprint Nextel deal to acquire Virgin Mobile USA gets clearance from Federal Trade CommissionAugust 25th, 2009 Sprint Nextel-Virgin Mobile USA deal gets FTC's OKWASHINGTON — The Federal Trade Commission has removed a regulatory hurdle to Sprint Nextel Corp.'s proposed $483 million acquisition of Virgin Mobile USA Inc. FTC regulators approved an early termination of the agency's antitrust review, indicating they have no objections to the deal, according to a posting Monday on the FTC's Web site.
Top federal railway official says upgrading service will come slowly, even with stimulus cashSeptember 11th, 2009 Official: Upgrading US rail service to come slowlyCHICAGO — The Obama administration's top railroad official says Americans shouldn't expect networks of super-fast trains after federal money already set aside for high-speed rail is spent. In prepared remarks at a Chicago rail conference Friday, Federal Railroad Administration head Joe Szabo says $8 billion in stimulus cash for high-speed trains is a down payment on a White House's commitment to modernize railways.
NTSB's preliminary findings shows no mechanical problems with stop system at Disney's monorailJuly 9th, 2009 NTSB: No mechanical problems in Disney monorailORLANDO, Fla. — Federal investigators are focusing on why a switch failed to change positions in the monorail crash that killed an operator at Walt Disney World over the weekend.
Sprint Nextel will acquire Virgin Mobile USA at $5.50 per share; Sprint values deal at $483MJuly 28th, 2009 Sprint Nextel to buy Virgin Mobile USAOVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Telecommunications company Sprint Nextel Corp.
