00:00 Virgin Trains is seeking to re-enter the West Coast route between London and Glasgow, five
00:08 years after losing its franchise. This time it aims to operate under an open access licence,
00:15 which means it won't receive state subsidies and will independently manage the risks of
00:19 running the service. The move positions Virgin as a competitor to Avanti West Coast, the
00:25 current operator, which has been criticised for its performance, despite having its contract
00:30 renewed by the Department for Transport. Virgin operated the West Coast route for 22 years
00:37 before being disqualified from bidding due to pension rule failures by its partner Stagecoach.
00:44 Virgin Group's spokesperson expressed confidence in reviving the service and enhancing consumer
00:50 choice and competition. However, this application remains in its early stages and will be subject
00:56 to regulatory approval.
00:58 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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