Franchise News

All train operators strive to improve their passenger experience. Comfortable and happy passengers are likely to travel again, and it is a major way to secure repeat business. Rail Vehicle Enhancements 2012 is a new initiative, aiming at helping all those involved with making sure that passengers feel comfortable and safe during their journey. Running [...]

Southern Railway is adding a new early morning commuter service between Uckfield and London Bridge in response to continued high levels of growth on the line. The new service, which is to to be introduced from December 2012, is part...

Transport committee member John Leech has said that although he believes the current system is flawed he sees no way of creating a fair process that looks at more than the financial return. The Liberal Democrat MP for South Manchester...

Most rail chiefs will tell you the most important people in a railway company are the staff. A company like Virgin Trains or First Capital Connect does not own the tracks on which it runs nor the trains it uses. Even the stations are leased from Network Rail which also operates the infrastructure. However when [...]

Handing back the keys to the West Coast would "destroy" FirstGroup's ability to run a rail business in the country, said chief executive Tim O'Toole. Addressing MPs yesterday, O'Toole said he saw no chance of FirstGroup pulling out of the...

MPs are preparing to grill Virgin and First Group bosses later today, amid reports that the Government is preparing to nationalise the service. Virgin's founder Sir Richard Branson and First Group chief executive Tim O'Toole will state their case in...

Go-Ahead chief executive David Brown said the operator performed well last year despite below forecast levels of growth. Although the operator, which runs services in the South East and London, recorded growth in all franchises, the company's operating profit fell...

Virgin founder Richard Branson and First Group boss Tim O'Toole will go head to head on Monday when they are called before MPs to field questions about the ongoing West Coast saga. Earlier this week in a written statement, former...

MTR has been ranked top of the Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong-based rail operator, which is currently bidding for the Essex Thameside and Thameslink franchises, has been awarded an AA+ rating - the highest...

Transport ministers have confirmed that a legal challenge by Virgin has forced them to delay a new deal with First Group for the West Coast franchise. Contracts were due to be signed last Tuesday (August 28), but late calls by...