VIRGIN Trains wants to work more closely with Liverpool businesses and has pledged to increase capacity on its Liverpool to London link.

The company has established regional executives with more power to take local decisions, and Liverpool general manager Gary Iddon said: “Rather than being a centrally-led business, there’s executives to engage with local businesses and move forward the Liverpool agenda. We do have the autonomy to make decisions that best serve Liverpool.”

That includes working with Liverpool Chamber of Commerce on support for small firms such as a pilot which offered 50% discount on the second of two tickets booked by small companies.

Mr Iddon said: “We’re considering what we can do to boost the local business economy.”

Four new trains adding 600 seats per train are due in spring to boost capacity and, over the next 18 months, 31 Virgin Pendolinos will be extended by two carriages, providing 150 extra seats in standard class.

But Mr Iddon added: “There are trains where overcrowding is anything but the issue.”