This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-63155969
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Avanti West Coast should be stripped of contract - Starmer | Avanti West Coast should be stripped of contract - Starmer |
| (4 months later) | |
| Avanti West Coast's contract renewal comes up later this month | Avanti West Coast's contract renewal comes up later this month |
| Avanti should be stripped of its West Coast Main Line contract, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said. | Avanti should be stripped of its West Coast Main Line contract, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said. |
| Since cutting the number of trains between London and Manchester in August it has come under fire. | Since cutting the number of trains between London and Manchester in August it has come under fire. |
| Sir Keir said the service provided by Avanti West Coast was "simply not good enough", adding that it must improve. | Sir Keir said the service provided by Avanti West Coast was "simply not good enough", adding that it must improve. |
| Avanti West Coast apologised for problems due to reduced services while the government said it would mull all options before contract renewal talks. | Avanti West Coast apologised for problems due to reduced services while the government said it would mull all options before contract renewal talks. |
| Sir Keir was asked on BBC Radio Manchester whether Avanti West Coast should lose its contract if it did not urgently increase services. | Sir Keir was asked on BBC Radio Manchester whether Avanti West Coast should lose its contract if it did not urgently increase services. |
| The Labour leader agreed, adding: "I use those trains and know how frustrating it is." | The Labour leader agreed, adding: "I use those trains and know how frustrating it is." |
| Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was questioned on the renewal of the rail contract | Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was questioned on the renewal of the rail contract |
| The operator reduced its timetable from seven trains per hour to a minimum of four per hour on 14 August and suspended ticket sales due to "severe staff shortages". | The operator reduced its timetable from seven trains per hour to a minimum of four per hour on 14 August and suspended ticket sales due to "severe staff shortages". |
| This involved running just an hourly service in each direction between Manchester and London plus additional services at the busiest times. | This involved running just an hourly service in each direction between Manchester and London plus additional services at the busiest times. |
| Avanti started to run extra trains on its key London-Manchester and London-Birmingham routes from 27 September. | Avanti started to run extra trains on its key London-Manchester and London-Birmingham routes from 27 September. |
| The operator also said services would be boosted again from 11 December, once nearly 100 new drivers had completed their training. | The operator also said services would be boosted again from 11 December, once nearly 100 new drivers had completed their training. |
| Greater Manchester's mayor Andy Burnham has written to the transport secretary, urging her to force Avanti West Coast into increasing services. | Greater Manchester's mayor Andy Burnham has written to the transport secretary, urging her to force Avanti West Coast into increasing services. |
| He said he wanted at least two trains per hour to run between Manchester and London by the end of October. | He said he wanted at least two trains per hour to run between Manchester and London by the end of October. |
| In his letter to Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Mr Burnham said Avanti West Coast should lose its contract if it could not comply. | In his letter to Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Mr Burnham said Avanti West Coast should lose its contract if it could not comply. |
| Andy Burnham said the current situation was having a "profoundly negative impact" | Andy Burnham said the current situation was having a "profoundly negative impact" |
| Mr Burnham said the company's plans would cause too much disruption to passengers. | Mr Burnham said the company's plans would cause too much disruption to passengers. |
| "This would mean two more months of chaos on the West Coast Mainline in the interim, with resulting damage to our city-region's economy," he said. | "This would mean two more months of chaos on the West Coast Mainline in the interim, with resulting damage to our city-region's economy," he said. |
| "If 11 December is to be acceptable, Avanti must also commit to providing a consistent two trains per hour service between Manchester and London by end of this month, as a staging post to full restoration of the timetable. | "If 11 December is to be acceptable, Avanti must also commit to providing a consistent two trains per hour service between Manchester and London by end of this month, as a staging post to full restoration of the timetable. |
| "Unless this happens and is clearly communicated, train travel between our most important economic regions will continue to be chaotic, forcing people into their cars or into abandoning plans to travel entirely. | "Unless this happens and is clearly communicated, train travel between our most important economic regions will continue to be chaotic, forcing people into their cars or into abandoning plans to travel entirely. |
| "Without this commitment, I will be unable to support a new contract for Avanti." | "Without this commitment, I will be unable to support a new contract for Avanti." |
| Andy Burnham has written to Secretary of State for Transport Anne-Marie Trevelyan | Andy Burnham has written to Secretary of State for Transport Anne-Marie Trevelyan |
| Avanti West Coast said it was already delivering on its commitment to increase the number of services between Manchester and London, with three or four trains an hour departing Manchester Piccadilly at the key times of the day. | Avanti West Coast said it was already delivering on its commitment to increase the number of services between Manchester and London, with three or four trains an hour departing Manchester Piccadilly at the key times of the day. |
| It said it remained focused on providing a reliable train service and restoring a full timetable of three trains an hour all day between London and Manchester in December. | It said it remained focused on providing a reliable train service and restoring a full timetable of three trains an hour all day between London and Manchester in December. |
| "Our revised timetable, with no reliance on overtime, is also proving more reliable - in the last week we have run 300 trains between London and Manchester with approximately one in 30 of them cancelled mainly because of short-notice sickness. | "Our revised timetable, with no reliance on overtime, is also proving more reliable - in the last week we have run 300 trains between London and Manchester with approximately one in 30 of them cancelled mainly because of short-notice sickness. |
| "That compares with one out of 13 trains cancelled back in mid-July," the operator said. | "That compares with one out of 13 trains cancelled back in mid-July," the operator said. |
| "Nevertheless, we know at the moment we're not delivering the service our customers rightly expect and apologise for the enormous frustration and inconvenience this is causing." | "Nevertheless, we know at the moment we're not delivering the service our customers rightly expect and apologise for the enormous frustration and inconvenience this is causing." |
| A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: "The problems facing Avanti are a prime example of why we need to modernise our railways, so passengers benefit from reliable timetables that don't rely on the goodwill of drivers volunteering to work overtime in the first place. | A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: "The problems facing Avanti are a prime example of why we need to modernise our railways, so passengers benefit from reliable timetables that don't rely on the goodwill of drivers volunteering to work overtime in the first place. |
| "Government will consider all options when Avanti West Coast's contract expires on 16 October." | "Government will consider all options when Avanti West Coast's contract expires on 16 October." |
| Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk | Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk |
| Related Topics | |
| London | |
| Manchester | |
| Andy Burnham |