Glasgow 2014 today (Thursday, 27 February) revealed that ScotRail, operator of 95% of Scotland’s railway, has become the latest addition to the Games Sponsor Family.
ScotRail, part of the Aberdeen-based FirstGroup, has been planning for the Games for more than two years – and was a supporter of the original Bid to bring the Games to Glasgow.
The train operator will deliver an enhanced Games timetable of high frequency services on key routes across the city, delivering high numbers of spectators to major venues and associated events.
ScotRail will also provide increased capacity on long-distance trains linking Glasgow with other parts of Scotland.
The full timetable is set to be announced this Spring with the train operator expecting to deliver more than one million passenger journeys over the 11 days of the Games.
Transport on ScotRail services within designated Glasgow city boundaries will be included in the price of the Games ticket for Glasgow 2014 spectators.
The company will also become an Official Supporter of Team Scotland at the largest multi-sport event Scotland has ever seen.
More than 3,000 ScotRail staff are already undergoing specialist ‘World Host’ customer service training ahead of the Games to guarantee a world-class welcome to those visiting both Glasgow and Scotland this summer.
Welcoming ScotRail to the Sponsor Family as an Official Supporter, Glasgow 2014’s Chief Executive, David Grevemberg, said:
“We warmly welcome ScotRail to the Glasgow 2014 Sponsor Family. This summer’s Commonwealth Games will see over 6,500 athletes and officials come to Glasgow for 11 days of fantastic competition that will put Glasgow and Scotland on the world stage.
“The city will be bustling with activity and with ScotRail’s additional services supporting Games spectators, and their highly trained staff greeting hundreds of thousands of new visitors to the city, I’m sure that we will deliver an outstanding Games experience that everyone can enjoy.”
Tim O’Toole, chief executive of FirstGroup, which runs ScotRail, said:
“We are proud of our Scottish heritage and the important role we play connecting people and communities up and down Scotland, every day.
“The Commonwealth Games, falling in the Year of Homecoming, provides an important opportunity for Scotland to promote itself around the world, and we look forward to playing our part, moving people around Glasgow and Scotland as quickly and efficiently as we can.”
Steve Montgomery, managing director of ScotRail, said:
“It is a tremendous privilege to be working at the heart of Glasgow 2014 as an Official Supporter. Our team is excited to be so closely involved, and to be providing rail passengers with the best possible services during an exceptionally busy period for the railway and the wider transport system.”
Commonwealth Games Minister Shona Robison said:
“I am pleased to welcome ScotRail to the growing Games family of sponsors committed to delivering the best ever Commonwealth Games. The extra train services planned and specialist training for staff will give spectators and visitors a great service and a warm welcome, helping people enjoy the Games experience.”
Councillor Archie Graham, Executive Member for the Commonwealth Games at Glasgow City Council, said:
“I am pleased to welcome another member of the Games Sponsor Family to Glasgow. Transport is a hugely important part of the successful delivery of any event on such a scale, and I am sure ScotRail will play their part in ensuring Glasgow will host the best Games ever.”
Michael Cavanagh, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland, said:
"ScotRail were there from the outset, backing the bid to bring the Commonwealth Games to Glasgow and it is excellent to know they will continue to play a key role in a successful Games. Their role as an Official Supporter of Team Scotland will provide a great boost to the athletes knowing many of their family and friends will be able to travel easily to the Games from all parts of the country during such a busy period."
Notes to Editors
- The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving 70 teams of athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years. Glasgow 2014 will be the XX Commonwealth Games and will be held from 23 July to 3 August. It will feature 17 sports in 11 days of competition with 261 medal events on show. The Games will play host to 4,500 athletes and sell 1,000,000 tickets with the event aided by an army of 15,000 volunteers. Glasgow 2014 Ltd is the official name for the Organising Committee tasked with delivering the Games in partnership with the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and Commonwealth Games Scotland
- FirstGroup plc is the leading transport operator in the UK and North America with revenues of more than £6.9 billion a year. It employs some 120,000 employees and transports more than 2.5 billion passengers a year.
- First ScotRail is the largest regional train operator in the UK, and runs 95% of train services - and 347 stations - in Scotland, plus overnight Caledonian Sleeper services to and from London. It employs more than 4,700 people, an increase of more than 35% since it took over the ScotRail franchise in 2004, and operates over 2,300 services every day – up 10%. Strathclyde has the busiest commuter network outside London. For the Games, ScotRail will be known as “Official Supporter – Passenger Rail Services.”
- Glasgow 2014’s official partner level sponsors are Longines, SSE, Virgin Media, BP, Emirates and Ford. For more information on Glasgow 2014’s full sponsor family, please visit http://www.glasgow2014.com/games/our-sponsors
- Glasgow 2014, the Commonwealth Games Federation and UNICEF are working together in an exciting partnership that will transform the lives of children in Scotland and throughout the Commonwealth. Using the power of sport and culture this unique partnership aims to inspire, enable and empower the children of the Commonwealth to be the best they can be.
- For Further Information please contact [email protected] on 030 2014 0611.