Let us improve our stations, says Sir Richard Branson

Virgin Trains today (17 November)pressed for train operators to be allowed to make major station improvements as it welcomed a Government report calling for stations to be made an investment priority.

Plans to invest £50million in stations were unveiled by Lord Adonis, Secretary of State for Transport, during a fact-finding tour of 10 stations, including five operated by Virgin Trains.

Virgin Trains has previously made clear that investment in stations is urgently required to cope with increasing numbers of customers. Virgin Trains has seen growth in customer numbers of almost 20 percent this year and wants greater investment in its stations to help cope with demand.

Although Virgin Trains’ stations outscored the national average in the latest National Passenger Survey, there is room for massive improvement. Whilst Virgin Trains operates 17 of its stations, it is not allowed to carry out major changes that are required to dilapidated station buildings.

Virgin Trains is working with partners to introduce new car parking for more than 4000 cars, and new lounges and ticket buying facilities at its 17 stations.

Virgin Trains now wants changes to stations to come within the franchise process so that train operators can introduce substantial improvements such as new business meeting rooms, lounges and waiting rooms, as well as other new customer facilities.

Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, called in May for a major change in the way station improvements are funded.

Today he said: “The private sector has already invested heavily in fleets of new trains, and there is much more that we at Virgin would like to do to add further rail improvements in future.

Stations are clearly in need of major overhaul and, with public finances under constraint, the time is right for the private sector to be even more heavily involved in pioneering projects that would radically change public perceptions.”

Tony Collins, Virgin Trains’ chief executive officer, said: “Our train service is second to none and the growth we are currently seeing reflects the popularity of train travel. But stations are a different story and they need to be the priority of the coming years.

We would relish the chance to make significant changes within our franchise agreement that would bring station standards into line with our trains and I would be keen to discuss with Lord Adonis how quickly this could be achieved.”

- Ends -

For further media information contact the Virgin Trains Press Office on 0845 000 3333 or visit our Media Room website at www.virgintrains.co.uk/about/media-room/

Notes to Editors

In the Spring 2009 National Passenger Survey published by Passenger Focus, Virgin Trains outscored the national average for all 13 'Station Facilities' categories, by an average of 6.4%.

For the 'Facilities and services' category, customers scored Virgin Trains at 64%, compared with a national average of 50%.

Station improvements made to date

Working with industry partners such as Network Rail, Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) and North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA), a large programme of improvements has been delivered at Virgin Trains’ managed stations.

Crewe
• First Class Lounge
• Renewed and enhanced CCTV coverage of station
• Extended parking provision (2005 and 2009)
• Refurbished all toilets on station to modern anti-vandal standard
• Enhanced retail provision across the station
• Replacement of Customer Information System/PA
• Replacement of signage
• Completed DDA Minor works
• Refurbished ticket office
• Carried out electrical remedials across station to bring up to current regulations
• Refurbished staff accommodation.

Warrington Bank Quay
• Ticket office – complete rebuild
• Remodelling of station front and access for road users and pedestrians
• Refurbished all public toilets
• Leveraged inward investment from retailers on station to increase retail on station and refurbish existing
• Replaced Customer Information System//PA
• Renewed and enhanced CCTV coverage of station
• Completed DDA Minor works
• Carried out electrical remedials across station to bring up to current regulations.

Preston
• Refurbished ticket office
• Major investment on retail to bring dilapidated listed building back into public use for shop and bar/restaurant/buffet
• Provision of dedicated customer information office
• Rebuilt toilets to modern standard
• Renewed and enhanced CCTV coverage of station
• Replacement of Customer Information System/PA
• Carried out electrical remedials across station to bring up to current regulations
• Provision of new multi-story car park
• Extensive refurbishment of staff and management accommodation to create an integrated function.

Wigan North Western
• Refurbishment of ticket office
• Refurbished toilets
• Refurbished customer services office
• Renewed and enhanced CCTV coverage of station
• Replacement of Customer Information System/PA
• Carried out electrical remedials across station to bring up to current regulations.

Stockport
• Rebuilt ticket office, concourse and provided lift access
• New platform with lift and waiting room
• Refurbished subway
• Refurbished customer services office
• Refurbished staff accommodation
• Rebuilt toilets to modern anti-vandal standard
• Renewed and enhanced CCTV coverage of station
• Replacement of Customer Information System/ PA
• Carried out electrical remedials across station to bring up to current regulations.

Future improvements we would like to see

The Government has today issued its response to an independent report by the Station Champions, Chris Green and Sir Peter Hall, advising the Government on ways to improve rail stations. Improvements that Virgin Trains would like to see at stations that it manages, which are mentioned in the report, are:

Crewe: Roof repairs, additional car parking, new roof/canopies (including removal of central roof pillars to allow increased line speed on fast lines through station), new ticket office, escalators to platforms, various cladding, toilet upgrade, new retail provision.

Wigan North Western: Additional car parking upgrades to seating, subways, customer information, platform resurfacing, enclose waiting areas on platforms, ticket office upgrade, canopy extensions, toilet upgrade, new retail provision.

Warrington Bank Quay: Additional car parking, platform reconstruction/resurfacing/repairs, enclose waiting areas on platforms, toilet upgrade, new First Class Lounge, various cladding of subways/staircases, new retail provision.

Preston: Additional car parking, subway cladding and lighting, reconfiguration of waiting area on platforms 5&6, lift renewal, extension to platforms 5&6 for 11-car Pendolinos, platform resurfacing on platforms 3,4,5 & 6, de-clutter platforms 1&2, new station front (span across station approach to link access to town centre and shopping centre), new ticket office, new footbridge across all platforms (with associated lifts and escalators), decommission existing footbridge, widen platforms 5/6. new First Class Lounge, new retail facilities

Stockport: Platforms 1,2,3 & 4 re-surfacing, additional car parking, various subway and staircase cladding, roof replacement with modern canopies, new retail facilities, new First Class Lounge on platform 2, toilet upgrade, new customer information point.