Virgin Trains has been appointed as the operator of the West Coast franchise for another two years.
The new contract started yesterday and will run until 8 November 2014, although it can be terminated if a long-term deal is settled. The news comes after the Department for Transport admitted flaws in the decision process behind the new operator, as the contract was originally given to FirstGroup.
Virgin Rail Group (VRG) said it will now make improvements to the service including its station facilities, onboard facilities and a new compensation scheme for customers that face delays. It has already secured longer trains with an extra 7, 006 seats added to its fleet now completed.
“I’m delighted that we have an agreement with the Department for Transport that gives us the chance to continue providing high quality services to our customers. We have had great support from staff and customers in recent months and we will repay that loyalty with even better service,” said Tony Collins, CEO of VRG.
The train company also hit back at National Rail for falling short of its performance targets in the last year. Its chief operating officer Chris Gibb produced 17 recommendations for National Rail to improve infrastructure and service.