Virgin Trains’ stations top poll for ticket buying facilities

Crewe and Preston have come top of an independent national poll of ticket buying facilities at rail stations. They were the only two stations managed by Virgin Trains surveyed in the research conducted by Passenger Focus.

The research looked at queues at ticket office and at ticket machines, and recorded the percentage of queues longer than 3 minutes off peak or 5 minutes during the peak. The scores for Crewe were 2 percent for ticket office and zero percent for ticket machines. Preston scored 1.2 percent and zero percent respectively.

Sam Dixon, Virgin Trains’ Station Manager for Crewe said: “My retail team work hard to deal with customer purchases quickly and efficiently and it is pleasing to note this is reflected in the Passenger Focus research. We also provide a member of staff in the booking hall between 06:15 and 14:30 Monday to Saturday to assist customers in using our ticket machines and build up their familiarity with this method of purchasing or collecting tickets.“

Linsey Robinson, Virgin Trains’ Station Manager for Preston said: ‘The results of the survey highlight how the team work hard to serve all our customers that flow through the station. They are committed to helping customers and their colleagues.”

Crewe and Preston are important stations and amongst the busiest in the country. The latest available annual figures (to the end of March 2009) show that 2.85million passengers used Crewe, while 4.73million passed through Preston.

In the recently published Spring 2010 National Passenger Survey, Virgin Trains also scored well for ticket buying facilities at stations. The company achieved 81 percent customer satisfaction, the equal top score among long-distance train operating companies, and nine percentage points above the national score of 72 percent.

Charity discounts from Virgin Trains CharityLine

From 13 August charities will be able to benefit from 20% discounts on Advance fares for use over the Virgin Trains network.

Charities which receive 10% or more of their income from voluntary sources can register for the new Virgin Trains Charityline by visiting thetrainline.com. Representatives travelling on the charity ‘s business will then be able to receive a 20% discount on the full range of Advance tickets sold by Virgin Trains for use solely on its network.

Virgin Trains is the only train operator to offer specific discounts for charities.

These new discounts replace the previous system operated by Virgin Trains for ten years, which allowed representatives of charities to travel on peak trains using Off-Peak tickets.

Virgin Trains CharityLine

Registration for the Virgin Trains CharityLine is through http://www.thetrainline.com/. Simply click on the ‘Business’ tab, then follow the instructions to ‘create a business account for my company’, making sure to select ‘charity’ when selecting business type.

To register, charities will be required to confirm that they receive a minimum of 10% of their income from voluntary sources. If their income was over £500k in their last accounting year they will be required to provide a link to the relevant Charity Commission webpage confirming this to be true.

Once set up, the account will also enable charities to monitor journeys made and download management information. The new system allows booking up to 2359 the day before travel rather than requiring seven days notice for the issue of tickets.

Advance tickets are available on all but a few of the busiest Virgin Trains. They are for use on the chosen train only. Their price varies according to the time of day and day of the week. The 20% discount applies to all Advance tickets. Booking early and travelling off-peak maximises the chances of getting the best value fares.

Passengers using the Virgin Trains CharityLine scheme must carry charity photo ID or a letter of authorisation on headed paper confirming they are travelling on the charitys’s business.

Bookings under the existing system will end on 20 August, although all tickets issued up and including this date will be honoured.

Thousands more seats for Cumbria and Scotland

More than 8,000 extra seats a week are to be introduced by Virgin Trains for summer holidaymakers.

Longer trains with more carriages will run between Birmingham and Edinburgh through Carlisle between Saturday 17 July and Saturday 4 September.

And two additional daily trains will link Carlisle and London Euston. This will free space on Glasgow/London trains for more passengers during the busiest part of the summer.

“Our trains are increasingly busy as more people switch from air and road thanks to Virgin’s improved timetable. The extra seats will help a lot to cope with rising demand since more and faster trains were introduced in 2008-9. Passengers should still book in advance to be sure of a reserved seat on their preferred train,” said Karen Hattie, the Virgin Trains General Manager for Scotland and Cumbria.

For further information contact the Virgin Trains Press Office on 0845 000 3333

Notes to Editors:
Between 17 July and 4 September, these trains will be operated daily between Mondays and Saturdays by Virgin Pendolinos, each with 439 seats, instead of Virgin SuperVoyagers with up to 256 seats each:

0617 (0620 Saturdays) and 1020 Birmingham New Street to Edinburgh.

1052 and 1452 Edinburgh to Birmingham New Street.

The 1020 from Birmingham to Edinburgh, and the 1052 and 1452 from Edinburgh, will operate as extensions of London Euston/West Midlands services to provide through journey opportunities to and from Scotland for London Euston, Coventry and Birmingham International passengers.

In addition to the current timetable, Virgin Pendolinos will run Mondays to Fridays to London Euston from Carlisle at 1045 and from London Euston at 1030 to Carlisle, the latter train also serving Oxenholme The Lake District and Penrith North Lakes. The 1045 from Carlisle will leave just four minutes ahead of the increasingly popular 0940 Glasgow Central to London Euston train so that Carlisle passengers can be the first on a train of their own instead of the busy train from Glasgow.

Journey times were reduced by Virgin Trains with the December 2008 timetable when additional trains were introduced. Typical times are around four-and-a-half hours between London and Glasgow and just over four hours between Birmingham and Edinburgh.

Images of Virgin Trains and the company’s operations are available on our online media website www.virgintrains.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 Service and has been voted Best Rail Company by Travel Weekly magazine and Best UK Domestic Train Service by Business Traveller magazine.

· Virgin Trains was awarded the Global Travel Awards 2009 ‘Best Rail Operator’ Category as voted by Evening Standard readers.

First Class opportunities with Virgin Trains

As the summer holiday period approaches leisure travel is on the increase at the same time as there are slightly less business travellers and that means there is more room in first class. With that in mind to give passengers the chance to try out the first class product, two money saving offers will soon be available.

A seat sale of 10,000 first class single tickets will be available for exclusive purchase through a special page on the Virgin Trains website virgintrains.com/fcseatsale. They are available for purchase starting 14 July until 18 July, or until all the 10,000 tickets have been purchased, whichever comes first so it’s very much a case of first come first served for first class!

Travel can be undertaken between 24 July and 5 September and must only be on those specific Virgin Trains services for which the ticket is booked. Examples of these bargain single fares are Manchester or Liverpool to London Euston £25.00, London Euston to Birmingham £20.00, Lancaster or Bangor to London Euston £28.00 and Glasgow to London Euston £35.00. Full details including terms and conditions are set out on virgintrains.com/fcseatsale.

First Class weekend upgrades will be available on the Euston – Birmingham – Wolverhampton route between 24th July and 5th September for a knockdown price of just £10 compared with the normal £15. These can be purchased from the virgintrains.com website, at a ticket office or even on the train from the Train Manager. Just take a seat in First Class and pay the Train Manager during the journey.

First Class is a stylish way of travelling offering an array of complimentary goodies, with high quality food and drink served at seat and on some trains at weekends from the on board Shop, free Wi-Fi internet access, larger reclining seats with more legroom and individual power points. Of course, those purchasing first class products through the website can then use one of the Virgin First Class station lounges where passengers can relax before starting their journey.

For further information contact the Virgin Trains Press Office on 0845 000 3333
Notes to Editors:
Images of Virgin Trains and the company’s operations are available on our online media website www.virgintrains.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 Service and has been voted Best Rail Company by Travel Weekly magazine and Best UK Domestic Train Service by Business Traveller magazine.

· Virgin Trains was awarded the Global Travel Awards 2009 ‘Best Rail Operator’ Category as voted by Evening Standard readers.

Rhino charge ends in arrest

Virgin Trains has confirmed that the Baby Rhino, being cared for by staff at Crewe station has been given a warning after it made a second attempt to travel to London. Virgin Trains has said that it will be allowed to complete its journey to London in the next few days.

The rhino, when just a day old was spotted onboard a Virgin Train trying to get to London. There was concern that such a vulnerable and young rhino was out on its own late at night.

Now it has emerged that the baby rhino was arrested, but released with a warning, after causing a disturbance at Crewe station earlier today, whilst trying to force its way onto a train at the station. Passengers and staff were concerned as the Rhino charged down the platform.

Virgin Trains Group Station Manager Anita Brown said: "We understand that baby rhino wants to be reunited with its dad, Maximus Rhinoceros, who is now on the main concourse at our Euston station in London and we have arrangements in place for that to happen. We do have major work taking place to repair the roof covering platform 5 at the station and we are urging all passengers to take extra care due to the scaffolding on the platform and we certainly dont want passengers – or rhinos - taking risks by running along the platform ".

In order to keep Baby Rhino occupied, until it is able to travel to London a part time role has been found in the ticket office at Crewe station, selling tickets.

Rhino Mania is the most ambitious and all-inclusive public art project Chester has ever staged and will animate the city’s streets and public spaces for ten exciting and unforgettable weeks, further establishing Chester’s reputation as a must-see European visitor destination. Virgin Trains has the only large Rhino to be located outside of the North West region and courtesy of Network Rail stands under the main departure indicator on the concourse at London’s Euston station. Baby Rhino, who Virgin Trains staff will name, will make its home in the First Class Lounge at Euston station.

For further information contact the Virgin Trains Press Office on 0845 000 3333

Virgin’s Trains Passenger group visits Chester

Members of the Virgin Trains Passenger Panel were in Chester today to hear how the train company has teamed up with tourism organisation Visit Chester and Cheshire to promote the train service as an integral part of the Chester tourism package.

The Panel members also heard from the Virgin Trains regional management team, who cover the Liverpool area. They outlined how they have been encouraged to identify opportunities within their area and manage implementation projects. “Everyone in the business is encouraged to make suggestions, which the regional teams will then develop. We make the decisions at the local level and keep our main Executive Board informed of our activities”, said Virgin Trains Group Station Manager Anita Brown.

Schemes that have been developed in recent months include dedicated Virgin Trains-only fares on the Stafford to Liverpool route, sponsorship of Chester’s Rhino Mania – with a rhino now at London’s Euston station, a special pass priced at £5 allowing access to the First Class Lounge at Crewe at off-peak times by Standard ticket holders and a competition at Stafford for buskers to entertain visitors to this year’s V-Festival as they pass through the station.

The group also heard from Visit Chester and Cheshire Chief Executive Chris Brown who talked about the benefits of a high quality rail link to tourism destinations, such as Chester as well as the successful partnership approach that has been developed with Virgin Trains. Chris Brown reiterated his comments last week when during a visit to Chester by senior Virgin Trains managers to meet with key stakeholders he said:: “We have been encouraged by the ‘can do’ approach of everyone at Virgin Trains and the support that they have given us. In Chester we have all seen the impact that good transport links have on the destination.”

He added: “I am delighted that Virgin Trains has brought its Passenger Panel members to Chester to showcase our successful partnership.”

Members of the Virgin Trains Passenger Panel were chosen from over 300 passengers who had applied following an appeal in the on train magazine ‘Hotline’. The passengers who were selected to join the Panel represent a wide demographic cross section who use Virgin Trains services for a mix of business and leisure purposes. They are also spread across the Virgin Trains network.

Virgin Trains Communications Manager Steven Knight, who manages the Virgin Trains Passenger Panel said: “Chester and the North West provides a real case study in how local management and local relationships can bring big rewards. It is always easy to concentrate on the big projects, but smaller, local opportunities are just as important but we know there are still opportunities that could be developed. That is why, armed with the knowledge of what we have done in Chester and the North West we are asking members of the Passenger Panel to see if there are any opportunities or relationships that we should be looking at in the areas where they live.”

One of the members of the Passenger Panel is Chester-based Jane Harrad-Roberts, who is the Managing Director of Marketing Projects. Jane said: “The panel meets quarterly to tell Virgin Trains how it is; what they do right and what they can improve. We are a representative group of their customers and a ready source of feedback on new ideas and how they are doing. We’re not afraid to ask the difficult questions rail travellers want to ask. I use the train as much as I can for leisure with the family and business travel down to our London office so I know how vital good communications are for the lifeblood of a region. Since the improved, fast service to London from Chester we’ve definitely seen an uptake of travellers to Chester, it’s great for the City. ”

Rail travel to and from London/Milton Keynes and Chester has increased by 38% since the new service was introduced in January 2009..

Following the meeting Passenger Panel members were taken on an open top bus tour of the city.

Travelling by car drives us round the bend

Victor Meldrew is alive and well on UK streets according to new research into road rages, traffic terrors and steering wheel stress. The survey[i], which examined the attitudes of over 1,000 Brits to driving in the UK today, surprisingly found that younger drivers are more inclined to keep a lid on their frustrations at the wheel while the over 55s are the most up tight when in the driving seat, losing their temper the most over traffic jams (53%) and road works (52%).

While calm, however, it would seem that younger drivers lack the stamina of the older generations with almost three-quarters (73%) of respondents aged 17-24 admitting to finding driving exhausting.

Gender stereotypes over sense of direction appeared to be confirmed by the report which found that considerably more women (43%) than men (28%) become stressed about getting lost. Researchers, sadly, were unable to establish, however, how many of the men questioned would actually admit to getting lost in the first place.

The greatest annoyances for drivers ranked as follows:
traffic jams (47%)
other drivers (46%)
roadworks (44%)
children arguing in the car (25%)

Just 4% of lucky, presumably rather zen, respondents insisted they find nothing stressful about being on the road.

The research has also shown the physical problems that manifest themselves as a result of driving on Britain’s roads. According to those surveyed the biggest symptoms associated with driving include tiredness (54%), headaches (32%) and a short temper (31%) and, in fact, 1 in 7 Brits will not enjoy the rest of the day after a stressful drive.

Other interesting findings;
The youngest age group (17-24) find getting lost the most stressful (69%) and also find petrol costs the most expensive (39%).
78% of respondents agreed that compared with car travel, train travel gives more time for relaxation
A huge 80% of Doncaster residents perceived driving to be more stressful than taking the train
Men are more likely to get angry and have a short temper after a long drive (33%) where as women tend to feel more anxious (38%)
Those in Yorkshire were the most stressed when it comes to driving when 86% admitting to be annoyed by road works where as in Edinburgh residents find other drivers the most stressful part of driving (59%).
Bristolians seem to be the worst at directions with 44% admitting to getting lost regularly! Those from Nottingham and Southampton are also more likely to find driving stressful than others

When it comes to the roads we all dread travelling on, perhaps not surprisingly the M25 has once again topped the poll as the most stressful stretch of road for reasons including worst condition of road, least interesting scenery and lack of service stations. Interestingly the M25 was not associated with speed related issues – perhaps for its reputation for an average speed of 55mph[ii]! Instead, the M1 won the accolade for the most stressful stretch of road in this category.

When it comes to our hectic highways, this is how they were rated (worst stated first);
Overall most stressful: M25, M6, M1, A1, M4
Worst traffic; M25, M6, M1, M5, M4
Lack of service stations; M25, M3, A30, M11, M8
Speeding; M1, M4, M5, M25, M40
Worst condition of road; M25, M6, M1, A483, A30

The new research has been released today by Virgin Trains to support their advertising campaign ‘Don’t Go Zombie’. Says Jim Rowe, Senior Communications Manager Virgin Trains, “We have always known that ‘road trips’ can be difficult and its interesting to see whether it’s the traffic, road works or arguing children in the back that cause the most problems for stressed out drivers. The ‘Don’t Go Zombie, Go Virgin Trains’ campaign showcases the physical issues and ailments associated with car travel and promotes the time enrichment properties of traveling by train”.

Says David Moxon, Health Psychologist and Author, “With more cars and more roadworks than ever before, the results of this survey are perhaps inevitable. Life in general at the moment is for many of us also more stressful than it has ever been with unemployment rates high, swingeing government funding cuts, and not even a solid England World Cup performance to brighten our days. These factors will of course impact on our behaviour on the roads and ability to cope with the stresses driving brings…”

Tips before and after travel could include:

Clench your muscles, hold them tight for 10 seconds then release them. Use this technique with your hands, feet and shoulders
Make an effort to consciously slow down your general pace of walking and talking before and after driving
Make time to go for frequent walks – even if it’s only for a few minutes in the open air (again particularly useful before and after driving)
Make sure you drink plenty of water – this is particularly important when you are on a journey
We are social animals and social support is vital for healthy mental well-being - so make sure you share your worries with someone close and tell them why you are feeling stressed

Tips during travel could include:

· Listen to calming music (classical is particularly good)
· Plan your route in advance
· If you get caught in traffic jams consciously think of people you care about
· Keep the car cool - if you have climate control use it
· Travel by train instead!

Virgin Trains unleashed their new £6.3 million advertising campaign to the nation in late May which demonstrates the superior service available on Virgin Trains and demonises other forms of transport, in particular car and plane. The illustrated creative is a new look and feel for Virgin Trains and wonderfully captures the potential hellishness of travelling by car and plane that turns regular people into frustrated zombies, in Virgin’s typical tongue-in-cheek style.

- Ends –
For further information please contact Sophie Lennon or Anna Butterworth at The SPA Way on 020 7403 6900 or email sophie.lennon@thespaway.com

EDITORS’ NOTES

Images of Virgin Trains and the company’s operations are available in the Image Library on our online Media Room website www.virgintrains.co.uk/about/media-room/

You can subscribe to receive alerts to new press releases by visiting www.virgintrains.co.uk/about/media-room/

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.
[i] Tickbox interviewed a random sample of 1005 adults aged 16+ between 13th and 21st May 2010. Surveys were conducted across the country.
[ii] Average taken from www.frixo.com/m25-colockwise.asp and www.frixo.com/m25-anticolckwise.asp July 5th 2010 between 6am and 8pm.

Virgin’s fast train service boosts Chester economy

The fast and frequent Virgin Trains direct train service between London, Milton Keynes and Chester has enabled Chester to market itself at a National Conference Centre.

Stuart Hunter, Director of the Feathers hotel chain, which includes the award winning Queen Hotel, located opposite Chester railway station has said that the “high quality rail link is helping to boost the Chester and Cheshire economy and is ensuring that Chester is seen a venue for national conferences.” He added that “in a recession people want added value for their money and from the train service, to hotels to attractions, that is being delivered. Poor transport links were holding Chester back and the new service from Virgin has been the catalyst that has given a real boost to the local economy for both business and leisure activities.”

Stuart made his comments as Virgin Trains revealed that its London to Chester route was one of its fastest growing routes, with business up 38% year on year.

Virgin Trains has also helped Visit Chester and Cheshire identify and maximise the potential of the Milton Keynes area as a target market to attract visitors from. Now over 180 journeys a week are made between Milton Keynes and Chester. Before the introduction of the improved train services in January 2009 it was just 40 a week. Supported by a short break’s campaign, Visit Chester and Cheshire estimate that an extra 150,000 visitors to Chester were generated by the campaign.

Virgin Trains increased its train service on the London to Chester route in January 2009 and now operates 14 services a day, linking with London in two hours and with Milton Keynes in just 90 minutes.


Visit Chester and Cheshire has worked closely with Virgin Trains for the last four years and VCC Chief Executive Chris Brown says: “The step change in the train service has enabled the train journey to be part of the journey experience and has enabled the promotion of the historic City of Chester to a much wider catchment area.

“We have been encouraged by the ‘can do’ approach of everyone at Virgin Trains and the support that they have given us. In Chester we have all seen the impact that good transport links have on the destination.”

Throwing the weight of the tourism industry in Chester behind Virgin Trains, Chris Brown added: “With the West Coast franchise up for renewal in early 2012, we want to work with Virgin Trains as the incumbent operator to help them win the new franchise.”

Virgin Trains Chief Operating Officer Chris Gibb said “We are delighted, and surprised how quickly our relationship with Visit Chester and Cheshire has bore fruit. 38% growth in business is a fantastic result and besides bringing tourism and commerce to the City, the residents of Chester have also benefitted with a fast and frequent rail link to London. Chester is now one of the main destinations on the West Coast Main Line and with its tourism offering and a top class train service provided by a world-wide brand is pushing York and Bath aside as a must-visit destination.”

Chris Gibb also confirmed that despite the end of the franchise being less than two years away he would strive for continued improvement, with performance and reliability top of his list, closely followed by better weekend services and improved onboard facilities.

The Rhino now arriving at London Euston...

Virgin Trains is supporting Chester’s Rhino extravaganza by ensuring that London’s Euston station – the rail gateway from London to Chester – is a key part of Rhino Mania, which launches on July 5th. Sixty-two individually designed rhinos created by talented artists from the North West will transform the city of Chester, along with a further 116 ‘mini rhinos’ designed by Chester’s imaginative schoolchildren.

Virgin Trains’ Chief Operating Officer Chris Gibb took time out during a visit to Chester on June 30th to wish the Virgin Trains Rhino - called Maximus Rhinoceros to link into Chester’s Roman heritage - well on its journey to London Euston, where it will be on full display on the station concourse. A ‘mini rhino’ will also be located at Euston station, in the Virgin Trains First Class Lounge.

Virgin Trains operates an hourly service between London, Milton Keynes and Chester with 14 trains a day completing the London-Chester journey in around two hours. From Milton Keynes the journey time to Chester is just 90 minutes.

Chris Gibb said: “Chester is one of Virgin Trains’ fastest growing destinations from London Euston so it is appropriate that we have a Rhino at London Euston - the Gateway to Chester.”

Rhino Mania is the most ambitious and all-inclusive public art project Chester has ever staged and will animate the city’s streets and public spaces for ten exciting and unforgettable weeks, further establishing Chester’s reputation as a must-see European visitor destination.

The trail will wind its way all over the city and out to Ellesmere Port and Cheshire Oaks as well as flying the Chester flag in Liverpool Airport, Liverpool Lime Street Station and London Euston. Trail maps will be available for free from selected outlets, including the Visitor Information Centre near the Town Hall and Chester Zoo.

Rita Waters, Chief Executive of Chester Renaissance said: “Chester Renaissance has been overwhelmed at the show of support and commitment from sponsors including Virgin Trains, who have responded so positively to this event. It is great that Virgin Trains with its fast rail links between Chester and London has enabled the only rhino to ‘escape’ from the north west region to travel to London and there are rumours that Virgin Trains’ mini rhino is already planning its journey around the Virgin rail network taking the Chester message far and wide.

“I would encourage visitors to hit the trail and see Chester’s enviable cultural and retail offer, but just as importantly, I would ask everyone who lives in and around Chester to visit the event and to re-discover their city through new eyes. ”

Virgin Trains confirms missing Rhino safe and well

Concerns over the disappearance of a rhino from Chester's Rhino Mania have been calmed after Virgin Trains confirmed it is safe and well and being cared for at its Crewe station.

The day-old rhino was found in First Class onboard the 1935 Virgin Trains service last night from Chester and claimed to be heading for the bright lights of London.

Crewe Station Manager Sam Dixon, who was travelling on the train was concerned that the baby rhino was unaccompanied and out so late in the evening. Baby rhino claimed that the fast and frequent Virgin Trains service to London was the talk of Chester.

Sam said: "We take customer service very seriously at Virgin Trains and their was no way that we would leave a vulnerable rhino on a train on its own. My staff at Crewe are caring for the rhino and if it still wants to go to London we have arranged for it to make its home in our First Class Lounge at Euston station.

"The rhino has now been adopted by Virgin Trains and we will be asking our staff to suggest a name."

Virgin Trains chief in Chester talks

Virgin Trains met key stakeholders this week to discuss the future development of Virgin Trains links into Chester, Cheshire and North Wales.

Held at Abode Chester on Wednesday 30 June, the meeting attracted senior representatives of over thirty organisations including Virgin Trains’ Chief Operating Officer, Chris Gibb.

The event was jointly hosted by Visit Chester & Cheshire (VCC) and Cheshire and Warrington Enterprise Commission. During the presentations, VCC Chief Executive Chris Brown emphasised the vital role of improving rail links to the future success of the visitor economy.

Chris Gibb highlighted the major improvements that had been introduced in the frequency and quality of services between North Wales, Chester and the London. He also underlined the importance of building on current partnerships with the business community, tourism interests and regional organisations in order to develop a sustainable rail service to meet local needs.

Cheshire and Warrington Enterprise Commission Managing Director Aiden Manley commented: “This has been a superb opportunity to review services and explore our needs and aspirations for a rail service that will help achieve our economic objectives going forward.”

During the event, Virgin Trains also revealed the full extent of the role of Visit Chester & Cheshire in Virgin’s decision to almost treble the frequency of its London rail service from five to 14 trains a day, and introduce its fastest ever service - London to Chester in less just two hours.

‘Tenacious, highly-motivated and groundbreaking’ is how Virgin Trains Director, Communications, Arthur Leathley summarises VCC’s lengthy courtship of Virgin Trains.

“They first came to us four years ago when we were preoccupied with track improvements that left no space for us to consider developing specific markets.

“However, VCC Chief Executive Chris Brown and his team kept knocking on the door, and when Virgin Trains finally started looking for partnerships to help build leisure travel, VCC was ready, and we had the bones of relationship already in place to build on.”

Arthur continued: “Their forward-looking approach has enabled Chester-Cheshire’s extensive services, attractions and experiences to be opened up to millions of people across the South East, and in London, Milton Keynes and the Midlands who now find themselves within easy reach thanks to fast, frequent and affordable train services.”

A joint shorts breaks promotion campaign to promote the new train-links, which ran from May to September 2009, delivered an economic impact of £17.9 million and reached 12 million people. The target for this year is to exploit these links and further boost the Chester-Cheshire visitor economy.

Arthur continued: “It was the first relationship of its kind between Virgin Trains and a tourism authority and one we’d certainly be looking to replicate with other areas such as Cumbria and Glasgow.”

He revealed Virgin Trains’ decision to stage the company’s annual staff awards evening at Carden Park Hotel in Cheshire, on the 24 June, for the first time after being held in the Midlands for the last four years.

Chris Brown commented: “The success we’ve achieved to date working with Virgin Trains illustrate how effective partnership working can deliver massive economic benefits to a region.”