Their current contract’s 3-year core term actually ends on 18th October 2026, so they’ve extended it by a few months. It could have gone up to a maximum of 9 years, with 3 months’ notice of termination at any point after the 3 year core term. I guess that DFT Operator aren’t ready to absorb Avanti West Coast by the ending date of the original core term.
I would place fifty quid on it.
Is there a separate thread covering this topic? It’ll be speculation but, as a total outsider to the industry, I’m very interested to hear how GBR will tackle this thorny issue.
I'm sure one will probably get started sooner or later if the subject gets enough traction. Right now though I think the government are more interested in just getting everything in-house and worrying about that later.
Thinking about the political aspect of it, Sunak announced that HS2 wouldn't reach Manchester whilst at Tory conference in a former Manchester railway station; it would be a courageous, to use a word, move to have Avanti renationalisation announced at Labour conference in Liverpool to be swiftly followed by service cuts to Liverpool and to No. 10 North's city.
Avanti are already in the habit of making small cutbacks to the timetable based on demand periods like they did over the summer and plan to do over the winter. The DfT have practically been given a precedent to do this in a way that sounds quite reasonable if not a little controversial. Interestingly Manchester is not among the destinations missing out here, it's largely Birmingham and Liverpool.
An Avanti West Coast statement about transfer into public ownership, from Andy Mellors, Managing Director:
Statement about transfer to public ownership | Avanti West Coast News
Avanti West Coast statement about transfer into public ownership.newsdesk.avantiwestcoast.co.uk
You know that will never happen...
I'm sure the Treasury wouldn't mind using this as a means to hold back the growth of Milton Keynes in light of HS2's delays being unable to keep up with the demand. Perhaps I'm being a bit cynical though, because surely they can't be that sinister?
To be fair to Avanti, while they have fallen short in many areas, their plans were practically thrown up in the air immediately after taking over the franchise because of the pandemic. Then they had to deal with driver shortages due to lack of training over the pandemic which made backlogs even worse, and then you have DfT micromanagement coming in along with typical WCML infrastructure problems. I think staffing and employee relations were arguably a low point though.
Probably, yeah. I am lead to wonder about Pendolino utilisation given how the secondary Liverpool was largely cutback during these shortages and will most likely be cut back again over the Christmas period (fair to say the 807 path seems to be the core London-Liverpool route).
No doubt to huge applause.
I would put serious money on an announcement that reverses the stance on HS2. Probably not calling it that, or even saying a date, but I reckon it will be in there.
As long they reduce the Any Permitted fare to compensate... (we can dream at least)
Once they're not competing with each other, it would be sensible (and thus definitely won't happen) for longer distance travellers to be encouraged to use the Intercity services rather than piling onto the local commuter trains and crowding out the passengers from stations where there isn't the choice.
Looks like it might a process decades in the making. Maybe the newer staff could be put under new GBR contracts (that being those who applied under GBR and not the previous TOC) while staff before then remain on their original. But only time will tell on that one.
I believe that, after Chiltern was renationalised, there were no more pre-announced dates outstanding.
surely such a thing would have been leaked by now. Didn't the HS2 curtailment have a few days of will they/won't they in the press?
Maybe pressure on Sunak both ways (from the Telegraph and others to cancel it, and from Andy Street and from outside Conservatives not to) and the fact that it was cancelling a plan rather than reinstating the semblance of one meant more leaks.
It is interesting, isn't it that LNER (plus Great Eastern) and GWR - and to an extent Southern - were resurrected by the TOCs but LMS has not...
Hes nailed his colours to the mast here by personally associating himself in this way so perhaps nationalised Avanti will get what it needs in monetary resources to deal with its underlying issues now.For the record, Andy Burnham's Facebook comment
"Building a railway that actually works". Either I have missed something happening or that is extreme PR spin
Andy Burnham
Enough is enough. For years, people have been expected to put up with Avanti’s cancellations, delays, overcrowding, and a service that has failed them time and time again. So my Labour government...www.facebook.com
That sounds like a reason not to put East West Rail (or Chiltern, apart from possibly Leamington to Stratford shuttles) in the West Midlands Business Unit.
I suspect that will simply be a PR term. "We are creating one wet coast!". The operation wont be called that as it will surely create the kind of confusion about times and titles as per above!
The Government announcement has some details, including amendments to Manchester timetables
Transport Secretary to nationalise Avanti West Coast services at first opportunity
From 7 March 2027, Avanti West Coast's services will be nationalised to improve infrastructure, cut delays and improve the passenger experience.www.gov.uk
www.railforums.co.uk
