Avanti West Coast to cut services to save money


The company usually runs 248 daily services on the affected routes - Image © Avanti West Coast

One-in-seven rail services will be cut on Avanti West Coast's busiest routes following a government request to reduce expenditure, the operator has said.

About 38 daily weekday services will be removed from timetables during a six-week period from 20 July. The company usually operates 248 daily services on the affected routes, which connect London Euston with Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester, via the West Coast Main Line.

Avanti West Coast said it had proposed removing some services with lower demand in response to a request from the Department for Transport (DfT) to cut costs. A spokesperson for the DfT said: "This will save taxpayers money while still meeting passenger demand for seats."

The spokesperson also said: "The Secretary of State has accepted Avanti's short-term proposals to amend its weekday summer timetable, when passenger numbers are considerably lower and many trains run with large numbers of empty seats."

Avanti West Coast - a joint venture between FirstGroup (70%) and Italian state operator Trenitalia (30%) - predicted the move would cause minimum disruption to passengers and not reduce revenues.

All train services operated under DfT contracts are being transferred to public ownership. But companies such as Avanti West Coast - which has yet to lose its services - have their finances heavily influenced by the DfT.

This is because of contracts introduced in March 2020 at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

An Avanti West Coast spokesperson said: "From 20 July to 28 August we will be operating an amended timetable between London and Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester on weekdays.
 To ensure minimal impact to those travelling between the affected dates, these changes will only affect routes on which we operate more than one train per hour - during typically less busy periods of the day - maximising alternative journey options. We'd like to encourage customers planning to make journeys during this time to plan ahead, and thank them for their understanding."

Affected services are being removed from online ticketing services before becoming available for purchase.

Avanti West Coast temporarily slashed its timetables in August 2022 in an attempt to reduce short-notice cancellations after a sharp decline in the number of drivers voluntarily working overtime on rest days during industrial disputes across Britain's railways. It has since boosted its capacity beyond pre-coronavirus levels.

The operator said the latest reduction in services was not because of a lack of resources.

Office of Rail and Road figures show government funding of the rail industry's operations was £11.9bn in the year to the end of March 2025. That was down 7% from £12.7bn during the previous 12 months, but remained 47% above the total of £8.1bn in 2019/20. Last year's spending represented 46% of the industry's costs, with fares revenue funding the vast majority of the rest.

In January 2024, Avanti West Coast apologised after taxpayer funding was described as "free money" during an internal meeting with managers. Novara Media, which first reported the incident, published an image showing a presentation slide with the title: "Roll-up, roll-up -get your free money here!" Another slide explained how train operators are paid bonuses by the government even if services are not run completely to schedule, under the service quality regime.

I thought they said that, as each contract expires, they'd take that TOC into public ownership. So, not quit the same.

Huh? They've said they'll renationalise anyway....so just a few months earlier really isn't a new policy

Avanti say sorry after leaked memo cheers "free money "

Bit of a PR own goal reported on the Beeb here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67997916

Got one of their trains from Euston-Manchester and back Mon/Thurs this week - was quite impressed - both trains on time - OK I was in First class both ways which probably helped but on the return journey especially the train was spotless and I got a decent lunch on board too.

They seem to be back to pretty much a full service now although Euston is as grotty as ever.

Rail operator Avanti West Coast has had its contract extended for another six months after making improvements, the government has said.

The firm has previously been heavily criticised over reliability and punctuality, with calls for it to lose the franchise.

Avanti cut services and ticket sales last summer amid a staffing crunch.

The Department of Transport said its contract would now run until 15 October.

Avanti's current contract was due to finish at the end of this month after it was given a temporary six-month extension last October and told to urgently improve.

The operator, which runs trains to Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, north Wales, Glasgow and Edinburgh, slashed its timetable last summer after drivers stopped doing overtime and passengers suffered widespread disruption.

The government had warned the firm that its contract could have been withdrawn.

Transport Secretary, Mark Harper said: "The routes Avanti West Coast run are absolutely vital, and I fully understand the frustrations passengers felt at the completely unacceptable services seen last autumn.

"Following our intervention, Rail Minister Huw Merriman and I have worked closely with local leaders to put a robust plan in place, which I'm glad to see is working."

Avanti's parent company First Group said the current arrangements had been extended "under broadly the same terms and conditions".

Chief Executive Graham Sutherland said: "We are working closely with government and our partners across the industry to deliver a successful railway for our customers and communities.

"Performance at Avanti is steadily improving and, since the introduction of the new timetable in mid-December, the number of services has increased by more than 40% compared to last summer, with more seats and better frequencies."

It introduced a new fuller timetable in December. Earlier this month the transport secretary said Avanti had been delivering a better service on weekdays.

More than 5% of Avanti's services were cancelled in the four weeks to 3 March, down from 10.5% in the four weeks to 4 February and 18.9% in the four weeks to 7 January.

First Group also said a new managing director for Avanti had also been appointed, Andy Mellors.

The previous boss left last September.

Already posted rlsewhere this morning

Eye watering fare. Atrocious service.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/dec/11/rail-passenger-avanti-west-coast-train-ticket-brighton-bangor

The decision to renew Avanti West Coast's contract short term is a "slap in the face", the train drivers' union has said.

The Government extended the train provider's contract by six months, giving them the deadline to improve after saying it had provided an "unacceptable" service to rail users.

Rail firm Avanti West Coast has been warned it needs to "drastically improve services" after its contract to run the London to Glasgow route was extended by just six months.

The decision means it will continue to run services until next April, the Department for Transport said.

Avanti has come under fire after slashing its timetables in August, with trains between London and Manchester the worst affected.
It had apologised for the problems.

Transport Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said services on Avanti have been "unacceptable".

"While the company has taken positive steps to get more trains moving, it must do more to deliver certainty of service to its passengers," she said.

"We have agreed a six-month extension to Avanti to assess whether it is capable of running this crucial route to a standard passengers deserve and expect."

I have to travel to Manchester soon.   Given the stories I have heard on services out of Euston, I have opted not to go via London and booked a through Cross Country Voyager from Reading.  Probably the least worst option!

I have to travel to Manchester soon.   Given the stories I have heard on services out of Euston, I have opted not to go via London and booked a through Cross Country Voyager from Reading.  Probably the least worst option!

Ministers could withdraw Avanti's contract to run services on the West Coast Mainline when it comes up for renewal in October.

Transport minister Trudy Harrison told the House of Commons all options remained on the table.

She said withdrawing the contract was one option, and "all of the implications of that" were under consideration.

I agree that the DfT will say that.  And yet I wonder if that suggests that any putting of staffing right has to be 100% commercially lead, without consideration to social or environmental issues.  If all the staff at Tidmouth (for example) were to quit, under this approach would the DfT simply allow the line to close, or at the least have a very limited service without morning departures or evening arrivals, staffed from Vicarstown?

Tuesday 06th September 2022

Island Line services unable to run tomorrow between 0900 – 1900

Rail replacement buses operate between Ryde and Shanklin

South Western Railway would like to apologise to our customers on the Isle of Wight that, as a result of staff sickness, the Island Line will not be operating tomorrow (Wednesday 7th September) between 9am and 7pm. A rail replacement bus service will be provided during these hours between Ryde Esplanade and Shanklin and a separate minibus shuttle will run between Ryde Pierhead and Ryde Esplanade. There will also be a minibus serving the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.

Yep, he was pushed…..

The headline does, but then the article states he has decided to stand down.

I suspect that recruitment would be allowed in that case, remembering that closure is politically unacceptable. They might insist that transfers from other depots be encouraged rather than new staff.
SOME new recruitment is unavoidable but I suspect that pressure is to minimise this.

I agree that the DfT will say that.  And yet I wonder if that suggests that any putting of staffing right has to be 100% commercially lead, without consideration to social or environmental issues.  If all the staff at Tidmouth (for example) were to quit, under this approach would the DfT simply allow the line to close, or at the least have a very limited service without morning departures or evening arrivals, staffed from Vicarstown?

Just to mention that the Guardian’s take on this is that he was fired by FirstGroup

I agree that the DfT will say that.  And yet I wonder if that suggests that any putting of staffing right has to be 100% commercially lead, without consideration to social or environmental issues.  If all the staff at Tidmouth (for example) were to quit, under this approach would the DfT simply allow the line to close, or at the least have a very limited service without morning departures or evening arrivals, staffed from Vicarstown?

Not so much a block on recruitment the DfT will say it has to be self-funding ie for revenue or other cost savings

Doesn't that mount to the same thing?

Not so much a block on recruitment the DfT will say it has to be self-funding ie for revenue or other cost savings

From the Plymouth and Cornwall board


That might explain the Phil's resignation.  If he was told by DfT that he cannot recruit, but can't say so and he therefore follows DfT's line when they try and blame it on the unions.  Why stay and take the grief for being the DfT's instrument to preside over the dismantling of what he had helped build up over many years at Virgin?

I would have thought TOC's would be recruiting staff now the pandemic is easing.
A friend of mine has been waiting just over 12 months for the final driver manager interview, but is feeling that's all been scrapped.

Presumably the DfT is blocking recruitment in anticipation of a very slimmed down railway?

LEADERS across the region are calling on the UK Rail Minister to safeguard at least one direct train per day in each direction between North Wales, Chester, and London.

Growth Track 360 is a cross-border rail campaign group made up of leaders across North Wales, the Wirral and Cheshire West and Chester which calls for substantial rail investment to enable growth in the cross-border economy of the North Wales and Mersey Dee region.

Currently, only one direct service per day each way will run between London and Chester (to Wrexham) whilst a shuttle service is linking Holyhead and Crewe. Direct trains are continuing to run at reduced frequencies between London, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh. 

You will not get improvement , Agenda 2030 does not want you to travel , be happy you are allowed out at all .

Why? We're headed (so they say) for GBR, with whatever that implies for labour relations and contract terms. But before that, there are negotiations going on at the moment for a new contract (the current ERMA was extended for six months to the end of September).

So a certain amount of posturing is going on, with the current "pigs ear" performance level (and "losing the mess room") giving DfT some ammunition. I suspect Avanti on their side feel particularly miffed by the forced change of their contract into EMA/ERMA/NRC/whatever, because they had more to lose than the other TOCs: viz. a longer-term arrangement that led towards running HS2 services.

OLR has been dragged into the negotiating room, and not just as a threatening presence: "do you want this menial management contract in place of your showy "partnership" agreement, or would you rather not bother" is a meaningful commercial question.

Reading between the lines ... one has to wonder if we're headed for an operator or last resort who might continue to run a reduced timetable on a permanent basis, with no need for drivers to ever volunteer for rest day working, or ever visit Chester, Telford or Bangor ever again.

Passengers were stranded in a locked station after their train arrived 100 minutes late, an MP has said.

About 30 passengers got off the Avanti West Coast service from London Euston to Glasgow at Oxenholme in Cumbria on Tuesday to find the station closed.

Passenger Jonathan Gilmore said it had been due in at 22:20 BST but was late. Westmorland Lib Dem MP Tim Farron said it was an "unacceptable farce".

Avanti has apologised and said it was investigating what happened.

(Continues)

A lot of talk coming out of Avanti West Coast that the company are in talks with the DfT to be taken over by the Operator of Last Resort (OLR). 

Industrial relations between employees and employer are at rock bottom, services being cut, performance nose diving, standards plummeting…. seems very much like the writing is on the wall.

Trains will only operate between 7.30am and 6.30pm on both strike days and will start later than normal on the following mornings. Here is a breakdown of each operator's plan for tomorrow and Saturday:

Avanti West Coast  The operator has been running a reduced timetable since Sunday due to many drivers no longer volunteering to work on their rest days for extra pay. On strike days there will be one train per hour in both directions between London Euston and each of Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Preston. A limited service will operate to Glasgow. Several areas will not be served, such as Blackpool, Edinburgh, North Wales and Shrewsbury.