Virgin Trains to Continue Running West Coast Services

Virgin Trains to Continue Running West Coast Services PR Newswire LONDON, December 6, 2012 LONDON, December 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin Rail Group (VRG) was today appointed as operator of the InterCity West Coast franchise under a contract to operate the network from 9 December. The contract is for the period from the end of the current franchise on 9 December 2012 to 8 November 2014. The agreement may be terminated earlier if a new long-term franchise is ready to commence prior to 9 November 2014. Under the new agreement, VRG will initially earn a fee equivalent to 1% of revenue with the Department for Transport (DfT) taking the risk that revenue and/or costs differ from those currently expected. However, VRG and the DfT have also agreed to seek to negotiate revised commercial terms that would see VRG take greater revenue and cost risk for the period to 8 November 2014. Trains will continue to operate under the Virgin Trains brand name, serving London, the Midlands, the North West, north Wales and Scotland. The announcement coincides with a new timetable for Scotland that begins next Monday, offering an hourly service between London and Glasgow for the first time, following 50% growth in customer numbers on the route in the last three years. Virgin Trains has increased the capacity of many of its Pendolino trains in recent months by more than 150 Standard Class seats, which is equivalent to 28,000 Standard Class seats a day.