Virgin Trains voted Britain’s favourite - again

Virgin Trains has again been voted Britain's favourite rail company by customers.

For the second time in three years, Virgin Trains received the coveted Favourite Rail Operator award at the prestigious Globe Travel awards, which recognises excellence among international hotel groups, travel operators and package holiday companies.

The award was decided by customers rather than a panel of judges and was presented at London's Park Lane Grosvenor House Hotel.

Readers of Mail Newspapers' TravelMail section voted for the award, and placed Virgin Trains ahead of luxury operators such as Orient Express and Page&Moyes. Virgin Trains also won the award in 2010.

The award comes as Virgin Trains was named the leading long-distance franchise operator in the independent National Passenger Survey (NPS), run by passenger watchdog Passenger Focus.

Tony Collins, Virgin Trains Chief Executive Officer, said, 'This award and the NPS figures are a result of our customers' views - the most valuable opinion of all.

I am very proud that the hard work of our staff is recognised by customers and we will endeavour to maintain and improve those standards.'



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Notes to Editors

Visit our Media Room website - www.virgintrains.co.uk/about/media-room/ - for an Image Library of pictures of Virgin Trains and the company’s operations, or to subscribe to receive alerts to new press releases.

Virgin Trains is the brand name of Virgin Rail Group (VRG), which is owned 51 percent by Virgin Group and 49 percent by Stagecoach. We have operated the West Coast passenger train franchise since 1997.

The current franchise was due to run until 31 March 2012, but the Department for Transport announced on 27 October 2011 that it would be extended until 8 December 2012. We have been short-listed for the new franchise that will start on 9 December 2012 and run until 31 March 2026, with an option to be extended by up to 20 months.

Virgin Trains has been recognised in numerous industry awards. In 2011 the company was named Best Rail Operator in the Group Leisure Awards (which we also won in 2009 and 2010). In 2011 Virgin Trains won the British Quality Foundation's Achievement Award for Customer Satisfaction. In 2012 we were named Best Rail Operator of the Year at the Travel Globe Awards (voted for by readers of the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and Evening Standard. We also won this award in 2010. In 2009 we were voted Best UK Domestic Train Service by Business Traveller magazine for the second year running.

Virgin Trains first achieved Investors In People accreditation in 2007 and this was renewed in 2010; the IIP Gold award was achieved in 2011. In May 2011 Virgin Trains was awarded accreditation against the criteria of the European Foundation for Quality Management's (EFQM) Excellence Model. The company’s Learning and Development team won a National Training Awards 2011 West Midlands award for its Coaching Culture programme.

Virgin Trains is best in class again

Virgin Trains has once again topped the performance league among companies operating long-distance rail franchises.

The rail watchdog Passenger Focus carries out large-scale independent research across the industry twice a year. For the fifth successive survey, Virgin Trains was ranked top of long-distance franchised operators, with 89% of passengers ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with the overall service they received.

Virgin Trains leads the franchised long-distance operators in many categories - out of 33 categories judged by customers, Virgin Trains is ahead of its sector average in 27.

Virgin Trains significantly outscores average scores of long-distance operators in the following areas - frequency of trains; value for money; train cleanliness; ease of getting on/off trains; dealing with delays; and connections with other forms of public transport. In addition, customers have given a massive thumbs-up to a major investment programme in car parks, in partnership with the Department for Transport and Network Rail, with a 13 percentage point increase in satisfaction with car parking facilities

Virgin Trains’ Chief Executive Officer, Tony Collins said: “We recently achieved record numbers of customers, with more than 30million people travelling with us last year, double the number of six years ago. But the key to retaining those customers - and attracting more - is making sure they are satisfied. These figures show that we continue to lead in most areas of our business, by focussing on customer service and offering a service that is second to none among the long-distance franchise operators.

“However, we are certainly not complacent and there is still work to do to improve some scores. Satisfaction about punctuality has dipped, following a series of infrastructure problems during the summer and autumn and we have made clear to Network Rail that these need improvement.”

The Office of Rail Regulation has issued Network Rail an enforcement notice to bring improvements in punctuality on long-distance services, including on Virgin Trains’ services.

Ends


Notes to Editors

Visit our Media Room website - www.virgintrains.co.uk/about/media-room/ - for an Image Library of pictures of Virgin Trains and the company’s operations, or to subscribe to receive alerts to new press releases.

Virgin Trains is the brand name of Virgin Rail Group (VRG), which is owned 51 percent by Virgin Group and 49 percent by Stagecoach. We have operated the West Coast passenger train franchise since 1997.

The current franchise was due to run until 31 March 2012, but the Department for Transport announced on 27 October 2011 that it would be extended until 8 December 2012. We have been short-listed for the new franchise that will start on 9 December 2012 and run until 31 March 2026, with an option to be extended by up to 20 months.

Virgin Trains has been recognised in numerous industry awards. In 2011 the company was named Best Rail Operator in the Group Leisure Awards (which we also won in 2009 and 2010). In 2011 Virgin Trains won the British Quality Foundation's Achievement Award for Customer Satisfaction. In 2010 we were named Best Rail Operator of the Year at the Travel Globe Awards (voted for by readers of the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and Evening Standard. In 2009 we were voted Best UK Domestic Train Service by Business Traveller magazine for the second year running.

Virgin Trains first achieved Investors In People accreditation in 2007 and this was renewed in 2010; the IIP Gold award was achieved in 2011. In May 2011 Virgin Trains was awarded accreditation against the criteria of the European Foundation for Quality Management's (EFQM) Excellence Model. The company’s Learning and Development team won a National Training Awards 2011 West Midlands award for its Coaching Culture programme.

Virgin Trains’ Cheshire stations are the best

Virgin Trains has scooped two top awards in the annual Cheshire Best Station awards, held on 18 January 2012.

Both Crewe station (for the fourth year running) and Runcorn station (third year running) won awards this year.

Crewe (Principal Stations Award)

John Hulme, Organiser of Cheshire Best Kept Station, said: “Our Principal Stations Award celebrates Cheshire’s larger railway stations which we know are a challenge to upkeep especially if that station is used by over three million passengers a year. New Station Manager, Sheila Breeze, has certainly stood up to that challenge and it is obvious that Virgin’s elite customer training, matched with a manager that has worked up through the ranks of the company, has played a large part in the success of the station. All this has certainly led to Sheila and her team at Crewe understanding passengers’ needs and requirements.”

Sheila Breeze, Virgin Trains’ Station Manager for Crewe, began her railway career at the station in 1998. Sheila said: "I am delighted that the hard work and enthusiasm of the Virgin Trains’ staff at Crewe have been recognised. We have a great team here and it has been a pleasure to lead them since I became Station Manager a year ago.”

Runcorn (Best Staffed Station Award)

John Hulme said: “Our Best Staffed Station Award is for the staffed station that provides its customers with the best customer experience. Keith Millard and his staff at Runcorn Station should be congratulated on the impeccable service that this busy customer friendly station provides its passengers. Once again, it is clear than Virgin’s investment in its people shines through in the reports we receive from the travelling public.”

Keith Millard, Virgin Trains’ Station Manager for Runcorn, said: "This award is an accolade for my team who pride themselves on providing excellent customer service, which they deliver consistently day in, day out. I am very proud to be part of the team at Runcorn as Station Manager.”


Photograph captions

Crewe (Principal Stations Award): Sheila Breeze, Station Manager, Crewe (left); David Roberts - Special Guest and Retired Managing Director, Roberts Bakery.

Runcorn (Best Staffed Station Award), left to right: David Roberts - Special Guest and Retired Managing Director, Roberts Bakery; Keith Millard - Station Manager, Runcorn; Cllr Keith Morley - Mayor, Halton Borough Council.