More seats and luggage space for Crosscountry customers
3rd April 2008
CrossCountry
CrossCountry customers can look forward to extra seats and up to 25 percent more luggage space following the award of a contract to redesign and refresh the interiors of the company’s Voyager train fleet.
Starting in September, train builder Bombardier will add an extra 16 seats and 20 percent more luggage space to each of the 22 five-car Voyagers and 14 extra seats and 25 percent more luggage space to the 35 four-car trains, a total of 842 more seats across the fleet. The work will take about 12 months to complete.
Space for additional seating is being created by minor modification of interior layouts and it has been possible to retain all of the existing toilets, fully accessible to customers with special needs. Increased luggage space will be achieved by introduction of new and improved luggage stacks throughout each train and use of some of the space created by removal of the onboard shop, which will also incorporate the cycle storage area.
As a result of customer feedback the shop will be replaced by at-seat service of food and drink throughout the train.
CrossCountry Managing Director Andy Cooper said: “Interior redesign of our Voyager trains will make a significant contribution to our commitment to increase seating across our network by up to 35 percent. Getting a seat and having more space for luggage are customer priorities, and these changes will allow us to improve the service we offer. People are naturally reluctant to leave their possessions behind and take a walk to the shop, and we know that service of food and drink at the seat is very popular.”
For more information feel free to contact us on 0121 6547010.
Notes to editors:
CrossCountry started operating on 11 November 2007. The franchise, which is the most extensive in the UK, will run until 31 March 2016. For further information on CrossCountry services and future franchise plans log on to www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk
CrossCountry facts and figures.
Starting in September, train builder Bombardier will add an extra 16 seats and 20 percent more luggage space to each of the 22 five-car Voyagers and 14 extra seats and 25 percent more luggage space to the 35 four-car trains, a total of 842 more seats across the fleet. The work will take about 12 months to complete.
Space for additional seating is being created by minor modification of interior layouts and it has been possible to retain all of the existing toilets, fully accessible to customers with special needs. Increased luggage space will be achieved by introduction of new and improved luggage stacks throughout each train and use of some of the space created by removal of the onboard shop, which will also incorporate the cycle storage area.
As a result of customer feedback the shop will be replaced by at-seat service of food and drink throughout the train.
CrossCountry Managing Director Andy Cooper said: “Interior redesign of our Voyager trains will make a significant contribution to our commitment to increase seating across our network by up to 35 percent. Getting a seat and having more space for luggage are customer priorities, and these changes will allow us to improve the service we offer. People are naturally reluctant to leave their possessions behind and take a walk to the shop, and we know that service of food and drink at the seat is very popular.”
For more information feel free to contact us on 0121 6547010.
Notes to editors:
CrossCountry started operating on 11 November 2007. The franchise, which is the most extensive in the UK, will run until 31 March 2016. For further information on CrossCountry services and future franchise plans log on to www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk
CrossCountry facts and figures.
- STATIONS SERVED: 133
- ROUTE MILES: 1,654
- WEEKDAY SERVICES: 288
- PASSENGERS CARRIED: Over 30 million passenger journeys a year anticipated
- ANNUAL TRAIN MILEAGE: Approximately 16 million
- EMPLOYEES: Approximately 1,800
- LONGEST TRAIN SERVICE: Penzance to Dundee (701 miles)
