Article in Transport Xtra:
http://www.transportxtra.com/magazines/transit/news/?id=15474
Here's the full article:
'Aggressive Virgin advertisements target Chiltern Snailways over
journey times.
Virgins advertising campaign is regarded as one of the most
aggressive ever mounted against a fellow TOC.
Virgin Trains has placed a series of large posters denigrating
Chiltern Railwayss service right outside a number of its key stations
including Moor Street in Birmingham and Leamington Spa.
The posters include one headlined Chiltern Snailways in reference to
the companys London-Birmingham journey time. Chilterns quickest
journey on the route is 2hrs 10mins which is 50 minutes slower than
Virgins 1hr 20mins.
Another poster includes the statement Time is money, Chiltern
Railways havent quite grasped this.
Chiltern said it had interpreted the advertising as a sign that Virgin
is concerned by the competition it provides on the London-Birmingham
route. Cheaper fares, considerably better punctuality than Virgin and
consistent marketing have enabled Chiltern to build up a 30% market
share of the London-Birmingham rail market from a very low base.
Virgins tactics are regarded in the industry as one of the most
aggressive campaigns ever mounted against a fellow TOC. They follow
advertising from Chiltern pointing out the price difference between
the two companies fares and come at a time when the difference
between their punctuality is at record levels.
We have been advertising that we are £50 cheaper than them in the
peak and this is their response, Kirsteen Robertson, Chilterns head
of marketing, told Transit. We havent complained though. There is a
recession on and we are all after passengers. When I have seen Virgin
at ATOC meetings it has all been very good humoured.
She added that Chilterns success in building market share had been
down to its superior punctuality as well as price. In March, the
company achieved the record performance by any train operator in a
four week period.
We have just achieved 97.51% in period 13 and we think they are on
course for 97%, Robertson said. We dont have their linespeed, but
we do get people there when we say we will.
The previous record for punctuality in a four-week period was 97.3%
achieved by c2c two years ago.'
http://www.transportxtra.com/magazines/transit/news/?id=15474
Here's the full article:
'Aggressive Virgin advertisements target Chiltern Snailways over
journey times.
Virgins advertising campaign is regarded as one of the most
aggressive ever mounted against a fellow TOC.
Virgin Trains has placed a series of large posters denigrating
Chiltern Railwayss service right outside a number of its key stations
including Moor Street in Birmingham and Leamington Spa.
The posters include one headlined Chiltern Snailways in reference to
the companys London-Birmingham journey time. Chilterns quickest
journey on the route is 2hrs 10mins which is 50 minutes slower than
Virgins 1hr 20mins.
Another poster includes the statement Time is money, Chiltern
Railways havent quite grasped this.
Chiltern said it had interpreted the advertising as a sign that Virgin
is concerned by the competition it provides on the London-Birmingham
route. Cheaper fares, considerably better punctuality than Virgin and
consistent marketing have enabled Chiltern to build up a 30% market
share of the London-Birmingham rail market from a very low base.
Virgins tactics are regarded in the industry as one of the most
aggressive campaigns ever mounted against a fellow TOC. They follow
advertising from Chiltern pointing out the price difference between
the two companies fares and come at a time when the difference
between their punctuality is at record levels.
We have been advertising that we are £50 cheaper than them in the
peak and this is their response, Kirsteen Robertson, Chilterns head
of marketing, told Transit. We havent complained though. There is a
recession on and we are all after passengers. When I have seen Virgin
at ATOC meetings it has all been very good humoured.
She added that Chilterns success in building market share had been
down to its superior punctuality as well as price. In March, the
company achieved the record performance by any train operator in a
four week period.
We have just achieved 97.51% in period 13 and we think they are on
course for 97%, Robertson said. We dont have their linespeed, but
we do get people there when we say we will.
The previous record for punctuality in a four-week period was 97.3%
achieved by c2c two years ago.'
