CrossCountry

Sep 19, 2023

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said Avanti West Coast is ‘back on track’ after struggling with reliability. Train operator Avanti West Coast has been handed a long-term contract renewal, the Department for Transport has announced (PA) / PA Wire By T rain operators Avanti West Coast and CrossCountry have been handed long-term contract renewals, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced. Transport Secretary Mark Harper said Avanti West Coast is “back on track” after struggling with reliability. The proportion of its trains that are cancelled has been cut to “as low as 1.1% over the past year”, the DfT said. Short-term contracts were necessary to rebuild the timetable and reduce cancellations Its new contract, which starts on October 15, has a maximum term of nine years but can be terminated at any point after three years with three months’ notice. Read More It comes after Avanti West Coast was handed two consecutive six-month contracts and ordered to develop a recovery plan aimed at addressing poor performance on vital routes, which was largely attributed to drivers refusing to work paid overtime shifts. The operator runs trains on the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Glasgow Central, with branches to Birmingham, North Wales , Liverpool, Manchester and Edinburgh. It is a joint venture between FirstGroup (70%) and Italian state operator Trenitalia (30%). Mr Harper said: “The routes Avanti West Coast operate provide vital connections, and passengers must feel confident that they can rely on the services to get them where they need to be at the right time. “Over the past year, short-term contracts were necessary to rebuild the timetable and reduce cancellations. “Now Avanti are back on track, providing long-term certainty for both the operator and passengers will best ensure that improvements continue.” CrossCountry’s new contract can be terminated after four years and will run for a maximum of eight years. Register for free to continue reading Sign up for exclusive newsletters, comment on stories, enter competitions and attend events.