Reservations required
Virgin will be going ahead with its plans to require reservations from all passengers, which it unveiled in April, if it is allowed to run a new open access service between Liverpool and London from 2021. The operator’s future as a franchise holder is in doubt after its bid with Stagecoach and SNCF for West Coast Partnership was rejected by the Department for Transport as ‘non-compliant’, while the present West Coast franchise is due to end in March 2020. Virgin has lodged an open access application with the ORR to provide an hourly ‘airline-style’ service during most of the day. Virgin said fares would be guaranteed to be at least 10 per cent cheaper than other operators. However, passengers whose travel plans were frustrated by disruption would not be able to catch the next train. Instead, they would be entitled to a full refund. Catering would be provided at-seat, along with free Wifi, films and tv on board.