Press Release

Virgin Trains' response to ORR announcement on West Coast plan

2 May 2008

Virgin  Trains  today  pledged  to  keep  inconvenience  to passengers to a minimum while one of the most intensive programmes of engineering work ever on a UK main line is completed by Network Rail.

This  follows the Office of Rail Regulation's (ORR) announcement today that paves  the  way  for the introduction of a vastly improved timetable at the start of the New Year that includes over 30 percent more train services and faster journey times.

Tony  Collins,  Chief  Executive  of  Virgin  Trains  said  today:  "We are satisfied  that,  in  reaching its decision, the ORR has taken into account all the issues surrounding this very complex and challenging infrastructure project.  We  welcome  the  ORR's  statement  that  it will closely monitor delivery of the project.

"Obviously  we  respect  the decision and we will do everything we possibly can  to  limit  the inconvenience to customers during extensive works which will  inevitably  cause  disruption.  The  test  must be to ensure that the project  is  delivered  on time and can be maintained to a high standard so that the new timetable remains reliable."

In  conjunction  with  Network  Rail,  freight  companies  and  other train operators, the following iitiatives are being developed, particularly when the route in the Rugby area is closed to trains:-

• Extra carriages on East Midlands Trains between Liverpool and Sheffield via Manchester to help passengers travelling from North West England to London
• Re-design of the Virgin Trains website to make it easier to find out when and where engineering work is taking place
• Agreement for passengers holding Virgin Trains tickets to be able to travel from Manchester via Leeds to London using the services of Trans Pennine Express and National Express East Coast.

The  infrastructure  work  will  enable  the  introduction of a transformed timetable  from  December,  which  will  add  millions more seats a year to Virgin  Trains'  services.  This will include three trains an hour each way serving  Birmingham and Manchester from London ? up from the present two an hour  -  and  faster and more frequent services to and from Scotland, North Wales  and the North West. Weekend services will also be improved, with far more services on Saturdays and Sundays from 2009.