Virgin Trains’ plan to relieve Friday evening crowding approved

The Secretary of State for Transport has given the go-ahead for service alterations which will enable an additional train to operate between London and Manchester on Friday evenings. Approval was given on 15 December 2010.

New trains, a new timetable and a track upgrade have seen Virgin Trains double passenger numbers to 28 million a year over the last six years and is now set to carry its 250 millionth passenger, since taking over the West Coast franchise in March 1997, in early 2011. The number of passengers travelling at weekends has increased by a staggering 45% in the last two years.

The Department for Transport (DfT) approved the proposals made by Virgin Trains to manage crowding on Friday evenings, which has seen some passengers unable to join their chosen train.

Virgin Trains Chief Operating Officer Chris Gibb said: "These changes, which will really benefit our passengers, are a result of a partnership approach between Virgin Trains and the Department for Transport. We are pleased that Transport Secretary Philip Hammond recognises the success that we have had in increasing passenger numbers and has endorsed our plans to run an additional train on Friday evenings".

The DfT approval allows the following service changes to be made:

· A new Fridays only 18:57 London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly service, using a Pendolino, calling at Crewe. This train will have Standard accommodation only.

· The 18:43 London Euston to Crewe will use the Mark 3 set, rather than a Pendolino.

· The 18:46 London Euston to Preston relief service will be operated by a five-car Super Voyager and will call at Rugby, Tamworth, Lichfield Trent Valley, Stafford, Warrington Bank Quay and Wigan North Western. This train has operated as a relief service since January 2009. It will now be part of the Franchise specification.

These changes will start next week, but due to the Christmas holiday will apply on Thursday 23rd December 2010 which will be a busier travel day.

The service improvements will then apply on Fridays from January 7th 2011 throughout the current timetable period to 21st May 2011, except for Good Friday and the Friday of the Royal Wedding, when these changes will apply on the Thursday evening.

Virgin Trains Station Manager at London Euston Jill Dyal said: "The Government's approval of our plans is good news for our passengers and will provide over 400 extra seats on the Manchester route when they are desperately needed. We will also have additional staff on duty to ensure to look after our passengers at our busiest time, when we know they want to get home to families and loved ones for the weekend".

Christmas and New Year services on Virgin Trains

Virgin Trains is reminding passengers to check times and book seats in plenty of time as services around the holiday period on all their routes are likely to be very busy. Seats can be booked when purchasing tickets online at virgintrains.com, by phone on 0871 977 4222, or in person at Virgin Trains’ stations. Train times can be checked by visiting nationalrail.co.uk or calling 08457 48 49 50.

Apart from Christmas Day and Boxing Day when there will be no services, trains will be running every day.

Day by day summary of services

24 December: Weekday service. Services reduced from early evening in preparation for a mid-evening shutdown.

25 and 26 December: No services

27 December: Weekday service although some early morning trains will be withdrawn. Route improvement work between Crewe and Preston all day will mean Euston to Glasgow services terminating at Crewe and re-starting at Preston. Birmingham to Scotland services via Carlisle will be diverted via an alternative route between Crewe and Preston. Rail replacement coaches will serve Warrington Bank Quay and Wigan North Western. Passengers travelling from London to Scotland with Anytime or Off Peak tickets can use East Coast services from Kings Cross.

28 December: Weekday service. Route improvement work will be taking place all day between Wigan North Western and Preston. Euston to Glasgow services will terminate at Wigan and re-start from Preston. Birmingham to Scotland services will be diverted via an alternative route, but between 12:00 and 19:00 will be able to run via their normal route. Rail replacement coaches will run all day between Wigan North Western and Preston. Passengers travelling from London to Scotland with Anytime or Off Peak tickets can use East Coast services from London Kings Cross.

29 and 30 December: Normal weekday service.

31 December: Weekday service. Services reduced from early evening in preparation for a mid-evening shutdown.

1 January: Saturday service. Some early morning services withdrawn. Full service from mid-morning.

2 January: Normal Sunday service. No route improvement work.

3 January: Weekday service.


Ticketing
Time restrictions on Off-Peak tickets will be lifted from Noon on 23 December through to close of service on 3 January while First Class upgrades will be available at £15.00 per single journey (£10.00 on the Euston – West Midlands route) from 24 December through until 3 January inclusive.

Train catering in First Class
On 24 December there will be a normal breakfast service but after that finishes the Light Bites menu will be on offer for the remainder of the day.

Although the full First Class catering offer will be withdrawn between 27 December and 3 January inclusive, First Class customers travelling on Pendolino trains will receive at their seats a selection of hot drinks, water, crisps, biscuits and fresh fruit. First Class customers travelling on Super Voyagers can collect refreshments from The Shop between 27 December and 3 January.

Virgin Trains announces record ticket sales and pinpoints 18th December as the busiest day for train travel during the festive season

With Christmas almost upon us, Virgin Trains is urging all passengers to check train times and book seats home in plenty of time as services around the holiday period are already very busy.

Current tickets sales are up 10% compared with this time last year and, with a total of almost 300,000 already booked, sales are record breaking. Saturday 18th December is currently recorded as the busiest day to travel so far. Virgin Trains is also reporting a 17% increase in the number of tickets booked between London and Manchester. A close second with a 13% increase is the Euston to Birmingham / Wolverhampton route.

Jim Rowe, Senior Communications Manager at Virgin Trains says: “This Christmas period is particularly busy and we are urging everyone to book their tickets home as early as possible.”

For further information or to book Virgin Trains log on to http://www.virgintrains.com/, telephone 0871 977 4222 or visit any Virgin Trains’ station.

Virgin Rail Group responds to today’s West Coast franchise announcement

Virgin Rail Group intends to bid for the West Coast franchise following a written statement to Parliament by Philip Hammond, Transport Secretary.

Mr Hammond told MPs that the next WC franchise would run for 14 years, from 2012 until the planned opening of High Speed 2 (HS2).

Welcoming the plan to award a longer franchise, Tony Collins VRG CEO, said, "Longer franchises lead to more investment, innovation and better services for customers.

"We are pleased the Transport Secretary has taken the longer-term view which will benefit customers.

"Virgin Trains has doubled the number of customers in the last six years - to 28 million - and has been the fastest growing franchise in that time.

"That is a direct result of the bold investment decisions taken at the start of the current 15-year franchise when it was decided to replace the entire fleet of trains, upgrade the track and add many extra train services.

"It is also down to the hard work and commitment of our people, who have shown the benefits - for customers - of longer franchises and this has clearly been recognised by the Government.

"We intend to submit a strong and deliverable bid to retain the franchise and continue the investment, innovation and customer service that have given us record customer satisfaction scores."

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.

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