Virgin Trains has scooped two top awards in the annual Cheshire Best Station awards.
For the second year in a row, Virgin Trains has walked away with the Best Staffed Station and the Best Customer Care awards, with Crewe and Runcorn stations taking top honours.
Announcing the awards, John Hulme, Organiser of Cheshire Best Kept Station, said: “Our Customer Care Award [Runcorn Station] reflects superior customer value and reflects the efforts made by the Runcorn staff in satisfying their customer’s needs. There is always a helping hand at this customer-friendly station and that is why a great number of passengers choose to travel from Runcorn railway station.
“Our Best Staffed Station Award [Crewe Station] is for the staffed station that provides its customers with the best customer experience. Once again Virgin’s attitude of going that extra mile and getting it right first time has to be commended”.
Virgin Trains Station Manager for Runcorn Keith Millard said: “This is fantastic news for the team at Runcorn who take pride in delivering consistent customer service and are very proud of the care they give every day at the station.”
Sam Dixon, Station Manager at Crewe also congratulated his team: “This award has been won by every member of my team at Crewe, who are a huge credit not just to Virgin Trains but to the whole railway industry, especially coming at a time when the station has a large amount of upgrading and building work taking place.”
News of the awards comes in the week that Virgin Trains will carry its 250 millionth passenger since taking over the West Coast rail route in 1997. Over 28 million passengers have been carried in the last year.
It also demonstrates that train operators can made a real difference in those station facilities and environs in which they have direct control and confirms the continual improvements that Virgin Trains has made since it took over the West Coast franchise.
Virgin Trains has also been recognised for its investment in its people, with an Investors In People Gold Award – the only train operator to be awarded this highest recognition.
