Did Avanti buy Virgin trains?
What happened to Virgin Trains? Avanti West Coast takes over from Virgin Trains at 0200 on 8 December 2019 as the new operator on the West Coast Main Line. Avanti West Coast is part of the West Coast Partnership Franchise which is owned by FirstGroup and Trenitalia.
Who is Avanti owned by?
First Trenitalia
Avanti West Coast is part of the West Coast Partnership owned by First Trenitalia, a joint venture between FirstGroup and Trenitalia.
Why has Avanti taken over virgin?
The partnership between Virgin Group and Stagecoach began operating services on the west coast in March 1997, but its bid to continue running trains on the line was disqualified by the Department for Transport in a row over pension liabilities.
Why did Virgin lose the West Coast line?
Virgin joined the lawsuit after its joint bid with Stagecoach to renew their contract to run the West Coast Main Line, which runs from London to Glasgow, was blocked at the 11th hour last year.
Is Avanti the same as virgin?
Avanti West Coast has taken over from Virgin Trains as the operator running the West Coast Main Line. The new operator’s parent company is a partnership between Aberdeen-based firm FirstGroup and Italy’s Trenitalia. It replaces Virgin Trains, which was Britain’s longest-running rail franchise after 22 years of service.
Who is the CEO of Avanti West Coast?
Phil Whittingham
Managing Director of Avanti West Coast, Phil Whittingham, at the Stakeholder Conference.
Why did Virgin Trains shutdown?
The end of the franchise comes after Virgin Group and Stagecoach had their bid to continue running trains on the line disqualified by the Department for Transport (DfT) in April because they did not meet pension rules. The companies are suing the DfT over its decision.
Does Virgin train still exist?
In December 2012 Virgin was awarded a 23-month management contract to run the franchise until 9 November 2014. In August 2019 it was announced that the Inter-City West Coast franchise had been awarded to Avanti West Coast, thus confirming that Virgin Trains would cease to operate trains after 7 December 2019.
Who runs the West Coast Main Line?
Network Rail
| West Coast Main Line | |
|---|---|
| The WCML running alongside the M1 at Watford Gap | |
| Overview | |
| Status | Operational |
| Owner | Network Rail |
How many employees does Avanti West Coast have?
With £7.1 billion in revenue and around 100,000 employees, we transported 2.2 billion passengers last year. Whether for business, education, health, social or recreation – we get our customers where they want to be, when they want to be there.
Is Virgin now Avanti?
Avanti West Coast has taken over from Virgin Trains as the operator running the West Coast Main Line. It replaces Virgin Trains, which was Britain’s longest-running rail franchise after 22 years of service.
