Avanti’s weekday 7am train from Manchester to the capital will still make the trip but no passengers will be allowed on board
An Avanti train at Piccadilly(Image: Network Rail)
The 7am midweek Avanti train from Manchester to London is usually packed – and no wonder because the superfast service gets into the capital before 9am.
But a controversial ruling by the rail regulator means that from December 15 it will still run – but only staff will be on board. Passengers won’t be allowed.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has decided to prevent a passenger service running at this time, considered a ‘firebreak’ period, so that if there are problems on the network it will have more flexibility to fix them.
Avanti has said it is ‘disappointed’. The 7am train from Manchester to London Euston which operates Monday to Friday will make the journey but only to make sure the train and staff are in the correct position to maintain Avanti’s other services. The ‘ghost’ train will operate for at least five months until a new timetable is in place.
An Avanti West Coast spokesperson said: “We are disappointed with the Office of Rail and Road’s decision not to grant access rights from December for four weekday services that we currently operate, including the 07.00 from Manchester to London fast service, as well as requiring a Sunday service which currently runs from Holyhead to London to terminate at Crewe. This will clearly impact those customers who already use these services.
(Image: PA)
“However, we will still be delivering even more services across our network from the start of the December timetable, including further additional trains on our Liverpool route.”
The company confirmed the ORR decision meant five passenger services in total were being removed. They are:
0700 Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston (Monday to Friday)1252 Blackpool North – London Euston (Monday to Friday)0939 London Euston – Blackpool North (Monday to Friday)1932 Chester – London Euston (Monday to Friday)1753 Holyhead – London Euston terminates at Crewe (Sunday)
An ORR spokesperson said: “Our decision on the Manchester–London service was based on robust evidence provided by Network Rail that adding services within ‘firebreak’ paths on the West Coast Main Line would have a detrimental impact on performance. We identified that this service would run in one of those paths.
“If Avanti operates the service as empty coaching stock (ECS), ECS can be run more flexibly (delayed or re-routed) than a booked passenger service. This can assist with performance management and service recovery during disruption.”