Stagecoach is a major rail operator and has an involvement in running a quarter of the passenger network in the UK.
The Group operates South Western, the UK's biggest commuter rail franchise, which incorporates the South West Trains and Island Line networks. We also run the East Midlands rail franchise, which includes high-speed long distance services to London St. Pancras and regional services between key cities.
Stagecoach is Britain's biggest tram operator, with contracts to operate major systems in both Sheffield and Manchester. In addition, our rail business includes our joint venture, Virgin Rail Group, which operates the West Coast inter-city rail franchise.
South West Trains runs the largest commuter rail network in the UK. Centred on London Waterloo station, it operates 1,650 trains a day on a network in south-west England. A fleet of new Desiro air-conditioned trains has been introduced on the network at a total cost of £1.1billion.
Island Line, the UK’s smallest rail network, operates on the Isle of Wight and has received two Government Charter Marks for excellent customer service.
East Midland Trains operates high-speed long distance services from London St. Pancras to Sheffield, Derby and Nottingham and regional services between Nottingham and Derby – Lincoln – Cleethorpes – Skegness, and between Derby and Crewe - Matlock and Norwich and Liverpool. The East Midlands franchise runs until 31 March 2015, the last year and four months of which will be conditional upon achieving pre-set performance targets. Highlights of improvements include faster journey times, better performance, more seats, train refurbishment, investment in a new train maintenance depot, a centralised information and security centre, more car parking spaces and two new stations.
Stagecoach has a 49% shareholding in Virgin Rail Group, which runs the West Coast inter-city franchise, the backbone of the UK rail network and Europe’s heaviest-used mainline. The franchise, which serves around 40 stations, runs until 2012. Virgin has been at the forefront of making train travel easier, better and faster over the last decade, investing £1 billion in a fleet of new high-speed tilting Pendolino trains.
Stagecoach Supertram, which has been in operation for a decade, was Britain’s first state-of-the-art tramway. It incorporates three tram routes in the city of Sheffield. Stagecoach Metrolink is responsible for the 37km tram network in Manchester. The 10-year contract with Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) involves the operation and maintenance of the system and the associated infrastructure.
| SOUTH WEST TRAINS | www.southwesttrains.com |
| Annual passengers | 162 million |
| Vehicles | 1,400 |
| Employees | 5,100 |
| Network size | 607 miles |
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| ISLAND LINE | www.island-line.co.uk |
| Annual passengers | 1.1 million |
| Vehicles | 12 |
| Employees | 40 |
| Network size | 8.5 miles |
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| EAST MIDLANDS TRAINS | www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk |
| Annual passengers | 20.3 million |
| Vehicles | 325 |
| Employees | 2,000 |
| Network size | 883 miles |
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| VIRGIN TRAINS | www.virgintrains.co.uk |
| Annual passengers | 14.9 million |
| Vehicles | 477 |
| Employees | 2,449 |
| Network size | 727 miles |
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| SHEFFIELD SUPERTRAM | www.supertram.com |
| Annual passengers | 14 million |
| Vehicles | 25 trams |
| Employees | 270 |
| Network size | 18 miles |
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| MANCHESTER METROLINK | www.metrolink.co.uk |
| Annual passengers | 20 million |
| Vehicles | 32 trams |
| Employees | 350 |
| Network size | 23 miles |
