VIRGIN Boss Sir Richard Branson has called for franchises to last between 20 and 30 years in exchange for a £1 billion investment on trains and track on the West Coast main line.

Speaking at a business briefing at London Euston station, the Virgin group founder mapped out his 2020 vision for the line as a way forward to meet ever increasing passenger and freight demands.

His speech came as Virgin Trains moves into the final three years of its 15-year franchise which has seen the introduction of the new Pendolino fleet, running at 125 mph between London, the West Midlands, the North West and Scotland.

Clearly setting out Virgin’s stall for the next West Coast franchise, the billionaire head of the Virgin group of companies told chambers of commerce and other business leaders that crumbling stations should be modernised with fit-for-purpose buildings that work efficiently for rail passengers and become a source of pride for local communities.

Sir Richard explained that all this would be possible within a partnership with a Government that allowed longer rail franchises of between 20 and 30 years linked to past performance and future investments, engaged and encouraged private sector investment and delivered an effective regulatory system of Network Rail.

He said that the partnership should evaluate environmental benefits and economic gains to the English regions, Scotland and Wales as part of any investment case and should bridge the gap between franchise length and asset life to reflect the whole life benefits of investments.

Within this partnership, he said, train operating companies would play a much larger role in timetable developments, the specification and procurement of rolling stock, station and new route development and as a source of funding.

“We are running 21st Century high-speed trains through 19th Century stations such as Crewe, Preston and Carlisle, which are crumbling away,” said Sir Richard. “I would like new franchises to be given control of stations so that train operators can be incentivised to modernise them.”

Turning to trains and track, Sir Richard continued: “With a £1 billion investment we could, within three to five years, see our trains running at 140 mph, with reductions in journey times between London and all West Coast destinations.

“What I am asking is that the Government re-thinks the franchise situation to give train operators the opportunity to invest, grow the rail business and lessen the burden on taxpayers.”

Among possible initiatives he envisaged within the next decade are:

•    Journey times of under 60 minutes between London and Birmingham and less than four hours between London and Glasgow
•    The construction of an underground extension of Birmingham International station with a direct link to the WCML at Lichfield using the existing M6 motorway corridor
•    Linking of Heathrow and HS1 to the southern end of the WCML route.

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