Avanti West Coast rail services axed amid strike action

A range of Avanti West Coast rail services will be axed throughout Saturday amid strike action by train managers.

Only one train per hour will run from London to Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow, the firm said.

It also apologised after announcing no services would pass through North Wales, Shrewsbury, Chester, Blackpool and Edinburgh.

The RMT union said the strike was the “culmination of months of neglect”.

Avanti train managers are taking the action in a row over the “imposition of rosters”, an RMT representative said, and also plan strike action on 6 November.

Earlier in October, Transport Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said Avanti services had been “unacceptable” following a timetable change in August.

The operator was widely criticised for cutting services from seven trains per hour to a minimum of four and for suspending ticket sales, blaming “severe staff shortages”.

It has previously relied on workers doing overtime to run services. But the firm said train drivers suddenly stopped volunteering for overtime in early August, resulting in a lack of available staff.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch, described Avanti as “one of the worst operators we have ever tried to negotiate with”.

He added: “They have treated our members appallingly and this strike action is the culmination of months of neglect and a strong response to the arrogance bosses have shown.”

Avanti’s contract to manage the London-Glasgow service was recently extended until April, as the Department for Transport considers if the firm can run “this crucial route to a standard passengers deserve and expect”.

Between April 2021 and March 2022, there were 21.6m passenger journeys on the service, according to government data.

Before Avanti’s recent problems, they were expected to secure a new contract for 10 years, which would include continuing as the shadow operator for the high-speed HS2 rail links.

The firm urged commuters to “check your entire journey before you travel” on strike days and said those who booked tickets for the affected days could claim full refunds.

The hourly services will travel via the West Midlands, including stops in Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton, due to ongoing Network Rail works between Rugby and Stafford.

An Avanti representative said: “We’re disappointed with this industrial action and we are sorry for the inconvenience it will cause.”

More RMT strikes over pay and conditions are expected across different operators on 3, 5, and 7 November.