Train operator Avanti has received government approval to significantly reduce services on the UK's West Coast line during the periods before and after Christmas, a move aimed at reducing costs for taxpayers. Daily train services between December 7 and December 23, and again from January 4 to January 7, will be cut.
However, the route connecting London to Manchester, informally referred to as the 'No 10 North Line' due to its use by ministers traveling to the city, will be exempt from these cuts. Avanti stated that the affected services were chosen based on a 'demand-led timetable,' arguing that passenger numbers are typically lower during December. The operator also noted that the Manchester line's continued operation is influenced by the city's Christmas markets.
Avanti, which has faced criticism for its high rates of delays and service cancellations, defended the changes, explaining that the services were removed from public timetables before they were finalized. This means, according to the operator, that they were never technically on sale to customers. Official statistics show Avanti has had only 57.4% of services arrive on time in the past year, with 5.6% of scheduled services cancelled.
The Department for Transport supported the service reductions, stating they would save taxpayers money by removing empty trains from the network. The government has been exploring ways to expedite the potential nationalization of the service due to its performance issues. The cost of running the railways has been borne by taxpayers since the franchising system was canceled in March 2020. A further reduction in services is also expected between Christmas and New Year due to scheduled engineering works.