Avanti West Coast train services are set to be nationalised starting in March, the government confirmed on Sunday. The decision marks the end of the operator’s contract, which was scheduled to expire on 7 March.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated that the move is part of a broader strategy to enhance rail infrastructure, reduce delays, and improve the overall passenger experience. “For years, we’ve heard stories of Avanti underperforming, with passengers left paying the price. Enough is enough,” Alexander said.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham supported the announcement on social media, echoing criticisms of the operator’s track record. He noted that commuters had long endured cancellations, delays, and overcrowding, describing the service as having “failed them time and time again.”
In response, Andy Mellors, managing director of Avanti West Coast, highlighted the improvements made during the company’s tenure. “We’re proud of what we’ve achieved over the last six years – from refurbishing our Pendolino fleet and introducing our new Evero trains to running more services than ever before,” he said. Mellors added that the firm would collaborate closely with the government to ensure a smooth transition to public ownership while maintaining focus on customer service.
The operator, a joint venture between FirstGroup, which holds a 70% stake, and Italy’s state-run Trenitalia, faced scrutiny earlier this year. In May, Avanti West Coast announced that one in seven services on its busiest routes would be cut following a government request to reduce spending. The company maintained that the reductions would cause minimal disruption and not impact revenues.
Since March 2020, at the outset of the pandemic, the finances of operators like Avanti West Coast have been heavily influenced by the Department for Transport (DfT) due to contract restructuring. All train services currently operating under DfT contracts are being transferred into public ownership.
This shift continues a trend of increasing public control over UK railways. Great Western Railway, also owned by FirstGroup, is scheduled to be nationalised in December. Other publicly owned operators include Great Anglia and South Western Railway, while Wales took its rail services into public ownership in 2021 and Scotland followed in 2022.
Finally! I just want punctual trains, not another political debate. Let’s see if this actually improves service or just changes the management style.
Here we go again with the state taking over. Did nationalisation really fix the problems at other operators like South Western?
I’m curious how the transition will work practically. Will they keep the new Evero trains? Hoping for stability, not chaos.
About time. My commute on Avanti has been a nightmare of delays for years. Public ownership might actually force real accountability.