Our plans

As we look to the future, we have already begun to make extensive improvements to CrossCountry services.

Here’s an idea of just some of the ways we are looking to make changes for your benefit, most importantly by providing more seats and better trains.

At a glance:

• ALREADY STARTED- improving the Turbostar Class 170 trains which run on our Nottingham-Cardiff and Birmingham-Stansted Airport routes. This includes more seats, new carpets and seat upholstery, cleaner trains and a brand new First Class area on every train.
• ALREADY STARTED- by the end of 2009 we will have provided 35% more seating and 25% more luggage capacity during busy peak periods on our principal routes- providing 20,000 extra seats through Birmingham every weekday
• introducing five High Speed Trains each with eight state-of-the-art refurbished coaches, providing longer trains with more luggage space on the North East-South West route
• providing additional services to enable daily through journeys between Edinburgh and Reading, Bournemouth and Newcastle, and Penzance and Manchester
• delivering additional late evening services to and from Stansted Airport

High quality service on board

We’re focusing on improving your journey experience with:

• ALREADY STARTED- the introduction of at-seat catering – in response to your feedback
• providing Wi-Fi access for all seats on all High Speed Trains and Voyagers, and improved mobile phone reception on Voyagers
• ALREADY STARTED-providing First Class accommodation on all trains, including ex-Central Train services
• ALREADY STARTED- making hot food available in First Class
• three members of staff providing onboard service on long distance trains
• making staff more accessible and visible to you

A ticketing and information revolution

We’ll embrace the very latest technological advances to introduce a new internet retailing service, providing:

• an easy to use service, guiding you towards the cheapest fares and the best interchange options
• a 'print at home' facility and mobile phone ticketing
• personalised journey information, with text updates
• wider and better information on stations and connecting transport services
• flexible reservations systems to cope with late changes to journey plans
• £1 million investment in more ticket machines and information screens at key stations
• an information campaign on alternative locations (to Birmingham New Street) for interchanging between trains
• additional staffing to provide help and assistance during December 2008 timetable change

A greener railway

We provide options for you to make more environmentally friendly journeys by train, and will:

• train staff in environmentally-friendly ways of working
• reduce onboard waste and increase recycling
• co-operate with the industry and introduce initiatives to develop alternative fuels
• encourage you to take more journeys by rail by providing more trains with more seats

Safety first

We want you to feel safe when you’re travelling with us, that’s why we are:

• introducing a new 'Secure Trains Scheme' to give you confidence about your on-board security
• working with our industry partners to extend Secure Station Accreditation across key CrossCountry calling points
• employing additional security staff

Staff and stakeholders

• invest £1.4 million annually in staff training and development
• conduct regular employee surveys
• consult our employees on new staff uniforms
• hold regular stakeholder events across the franchise area
• consult on major timetable changes