UK to return Avanti West Coast operator to public ownership in March — The Guardian

In the United Kingdom, rail operator Avanti West Coast will be transferred into public ownership in March after its contract ends. The company serves routes between London, Birmingham, north-west England and Glasgow, including connections to Manchester and Liverpool.

Transfer to state control

As The Guardian reports, the Labour government is bringing passenger rail services into public ownership as contracts with current operators expire. The public body Great British Railways is preparing to take full oversight of the system in 2027.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said passengers had faced Avanti cancellations, delays and overcrowded carriages for years. According to him, after the company is transferred into public ownership, passengers rather than shareholders should become the priority.

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Train cancellations and prices

According to the publication, the share of cancelled Avanti trains stood at 7.1% from April to June, one of the highest rates in Britain. The company also had the worst punctuality record among the country’s major rail operators.

Burnham had previously criticised Avanti’s prices: the cost of a peak-time return ticket from Manchester to London could reach £300. Over the past year, the operator has cut a number of services, including the 07:00 train between Manchester and London.

Avanti West Coast managing director Andy Mellors said that over six years, the company had upgraded its Pendolino fleet, introduced new Evero trains and begun operating more services than ever before. According to him, this gave passengers more choice, capacity and connection options.