NEW DEAL FOR VIRGIN TRAINS AND WCML
Published at 11:13 on Thursday 19th June 2014
Tags: Virgin Trains, Franchise, DfT, WCML
Richard Tuplin
A new deal has been agreed between Virgin Trains and the Department for Transport, over the next two and half years, relating to the West Coast Main Line.
Under the direct award contract, over £35 million of benefits will be delivered, including the conversion of Coach G on the nine-car Class 390 Pendolino sets from First to Standard Class, free Wi-Fi at stations and free 'superfasst' Wi-Fi on all trains, improvements to the Class 390 interiors, and new targets for passenger satisfaction and train punctuality.
In addition, Virgin have agreed with the DfT to launch new direct services to London from Shrewsbury and Blackpool from December this year, and the company will make an application to the ORR shortly.
The new agreement will run until April 2017 when a new competed long-term franchise is expected to commence. Full details on the new agreements will be published in Issue 414 of Railway Herald.
