Press Release

    Let us improve our stations, says Sir Richard Branson

    17 November 2009

    Virgin Trains today 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."