Stagecoach chief Brian Souter yesterday warned that a new timetable planned for the West Coast Main Line should be delayed because Network Rail hasn�t proved it can maintain the line.

Stagecoach chief Brian Souter yesterday warned that a new timetable planned for the West Coast Main Line should be delayed because Network Rail hasn't proved it can maintain the line.

The firm, which is a joint venture partner in Virgin Trains, the only passenger train operator which uses the entire line between Glasgow and London, hinted it would like a delay until Easter 2009 to ensure there are no unexpected interruptions to services. Souter said that customers could handle planned disruptions. "What we want to avoid is over-runs," he said.

Ian Dobbs, head of Stagecoach's rail business said: "We have always been concerned that the project was very ambitious. That is not to say Network Rail will not deliver it. They have got a lot more to deliver than the upgrade work but we remain worried about their ability to deliver a reliable service from that point."

He said Virgin Trains would be protected commercially because it is compensated for service disruptions but indicated that it is inclined to approach regulators and government for a delay because a botched introduction could alienate passengers.

Their comments follow remarks from Virgin Trains chairman Sir Richard Branson that he had seen a sharp drop in the reliability of the line in recent months and matters could be even worse when the new, more frequent timetable comes into effect.

The West Coast line was hit by work over-runs at New Year that resulted in Network Rail being hit with a £14m fine. Virgin Trains also objected to extra work being scheduled by the track operator this year to ensure the completion of the £8.9bn upgrade.

When the new timetable comes into operation it should cut average journey times between Glasgow and London by 30 minutes to four-and-a-half hours. The quickest time will drop 15 minutes to four hours 10 minutes. It will also mean an additional four trains running in either direction to bring the total each way to 13.

Network Rail said the schedule for the upgrade had the backing of other passenger and freight operators on the line and that delays to the new timetable would have a knock-on effect.

A spokesman said: "We appreciate Stagecoach have their concerns but Network Rail have to take a much wider perspective."

Stagecoach took in £32.2m in post-tax profit from its 49% share in Virgin Rail in its last financial year it revealed yesterday. Virgin's West Coast Trains franchise recorded like-for-like revenue growth of 11.2% over the year.

Overall in the year ended April 30, Stagecoach registered a pre-tax profit before exceptional items of £174.4m, up from £162m in 2007.

The firm proposed a final dividend of 4.05p, up from 2.9p last year but its shares fell back 5% to 264.5p.

Stagecoach's wholly-owned rail businesses, which operates the South Western route running out of London, and East Midlands saw like-for-like revenue growth of 13.6% and produced an operating profit of £59.1m.

Souter is convinced there has been a massive increase in demand. "It was a stable and declining market then something fundamental in the market changed and now it is a very high-growth market and it will continue to grow at very high levels." He sees signs that the bus sector could turn the same way as bus travel becomes respectable for commuters. He cited rising passenger numbers in the south of England and on commuter routes such as the Ferrytoll to Edinburgh park and ride route as examples.

Stagecoach's share of Citylink's after-tax profit was £800,000, down £100,000 on the year before after the Competition Commission forced it to sell some routes and it lost an airport contract.

Its wholly owned UK Bus operations saw 7.5% revenue growth and made an operating profit of £109.9m, up from £82.5m last year.

Its American bus division's like-for-like revenues were up 4.6% and operating profit rose 22% to $42.2m (£21.5m).