CrossCountry Routes

CrossCountry is the only national passenger rail franchise. It operates non-London InterCity services on routes extending to Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bournemouth, Cardiff and Penzance. We operate around 160 long-distance trains daily, virtually all through our hub station at Birmingham New Street.

These direct services link over 100 towns and cities in the UK without the need to cross London or change at Birmingham, Bristol, Reading, York, Crewe etc.

The CrossCountry network was a late entrant onto the British railway scene. It evolved from around 1910 because passengers resist changing en route – and especially hate crossing London with luggage. Market forces have developed the network despite endless reorganisations of the rail industry since.

Virgin won the franchise in 1997. By 2002 the train fleet had been totally renewed following a £390m investment in 74 new trains. Over half of these are tilt-capable, and operate at 125mph. The July 2004 report of the House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts showed that in terms of reliability, these Voyager trains to have been the most successful new fleet introduced on the railway since privatisation.

A parallel £200m investment by Network Rail increased permitted line speeds through the Midlands, and provided extra capacity at critical network pinch points such as Bristol, Didcot and Reading. The successful CrossCountry Route Upgrade project was delivered on time and on budget.

We now operate a high frequency timetable. Recent research commissioned by the Rail Passengers Committee found 89% of customers were “satisfied or very satisfied” with the new trains and service provided on board.

Over 19 million passenger journeys are now made each year on CrossCountry – up from 10 million in 1994. Volume grew by over 40% following introduction of the new trains and new timetable in 2002. CrossCountry carries significantly more passengers than either West Coast or GNER (both around 15 million p.a.).

Two thirds of CrossCountry customers have a car available for their journey but choose to take the train instead. Our typical passenger is under 35, and travelling to visit friends or relatives. Whilst this journey purpose predominates, generating over 40% of CrossCountry travel, business trips have increased since trains and timetable were improved and now represent around a quarter of our passengers. Although Birmingham is the biggest single destination, typically two thirds of customers on any train pass through it.

Timetables were further improved in September 2004. More trains were provided between the West Midlands and Scotland to combat overcrowding which had emerged in the North West. From December 2005, once the West Coast Main Line Upgrade is completed, trains will be further accelerated over the Plymouth – Birmingham – Preston – Glasgow route. Our SuperVoyagers will be able to use their tilt capacity between Stafford and Motherwell, running at 125mph for much of the way.

Since July 2002 the terms for operation of the franchise to 2012 have been under renegotiation. This was made necessary because of Railtrack’s failure to deliver on time the West Coast Main Line Upgrade, and as the scope of the revised project now being delivered by Network Rail is reduced from that originally envisioned when the franchise was awarded. CrossCountry’s revenues and costs have been much affected in consequence.

In August 2004, the Strategic Rail Authority announced it had ended these negotiations since Virgins’ ‘best and final offer’ was “too expensive” for the taxpayer. This could include a competitive tender.

On 19.10.04 the Secretary of State for Transport announced in the House of Commons that, following expiry of the Central Trains franchise in 2006 its current portfolio of routes will be redistributed among other franchises, including CrossCountry.

Meanwhile, Virgin Trains continues to operate CrossCountry, on the basis of budgets agreed annually with the Strategic Rail Authority.