This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/business/6286904.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Virgin loses Cross Country rail | Virgin loses Cross Country rail |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Virgin Trains has failed in its attempt to continue operating the Cross Country rail franchise, with rival Arriva winning the battle for the network. | Virgin Trains has failed in its attempt to continue operating the Cross Country rail franchise, with rival Arriva winning the battle for the network. |
| Arriva will take over the Cross Country network in November, with the franchise due to last until April 2016. | Arriva will take over the Cross Country network in November, with the franchise due to last until April 2016. |
| The franchise covers 1,600 miles, and runs from Aberdeen in Scotland to Penzance in south-west England. | The franchise covers 1,600 miles, and runs from Aberdeen in Scotland to Penzance in south-west England. |
| The new Cross Country franchise will also include Nottingham-Cardiff and Birmingham-Stansted services. | The new Cross Country franchise will also include Nottingham-Cardiff and Birmingham-Stansted services. |
| Seating plans | |
| Arriva shares opened 6.5% higher on the back of the news. | |
| The Sunderland-based firm, which already runs rail services in Wales as well as buses across the UK, will get a subsidy worth £1.05bn over the life of the franchise. | |
| Arriva has indicated that it may raise fares by about 3.5% above inflation, said the Department for Transport, which awarded the franchise. | |
| Among its other plans include increasing seating capacity by 35% on rush-hour trains on the main route by June 2009 and allowing passengers to print tickets at home. | |
| Virgin's Cross Country franchise had been due to last until 2012, but the department had the right to terminate the contract and it decided to put it out to tender again. |