Virgin Trains responds to Air Passenger Duty proposals
 |
Virgin Trains has welcomed proposals to boost Scotland's international air connectivity but warned against damaging growth on cross-border rail routes.
In our response to the recent Scottish Government consultation on Air Passenger Duty Reform, which proposes reducing the departure tax, we have called for an exemption to be made on routes where customers can choose between different modes.
Rail travel between Scotland and London has enjoyed strong growth over the last decade as Virgin Trains has invested in improved services on the west coast, helping persuade more peple to take the train rather than plane and helping cut carbon emissions from transport. The number of passenger journeys between Glasgow and London tripled in the six years to 2015.
We have now unveiled ambitious plans to win more customers over from air when travelling between Edinburgh and London by investing and improving services, with a clear target of winning a 50/50 share of the market against airlines by 2023, up from around a third today.
To discuss APD reform and Virgin Trains' response to the consultation, please contact damien.henderson@virgintrains.co.uk.
|
|
