The Department for Transport has handed Avanti West Coast a six-month contract extension, after it said the rail operator had made service improvements
Aslef, the train drivers’ union has condemned the contract extension as Government rewarding “abject failure.” The union argues that Avanti West Coast has continued to cancel services on the West Coast main line, becoming “a byword for poor service delivery.”that would affect Avanti West Coast drivers, with its members most recently walking out at the start of February. Avanti services will also be affected on Thursday 30 March and Saturday 1 April when RMT members take industrial action.
Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said: “It is, frankly, extraordinary… that the Government is, yet again, rewarding failure” by extending Avanti’s contract.: “This rail service is of critical importance to the economy of Greater Manchester, but the performance from Avanti is still not good enough. That’s why this decision to extend the contract will be met with disappointment here and across the North West.
“The fact that the Government has only permitted a six-month extension to Avanti’s contract highlights that Ministers clearly recognise that further improvements are required. Most people in the North West would have wanted this contract to be removed today. The time for excuses has passed – they either improve or hand back the franchise.”
On Monday, at least two services between London and Glasgow were delayed as a result of “waiting for a train crew member.” Passengers have described regularly using alternative routes, for example LNER between London and Edinburgh, connecting to Scotrail services to Glasgow, as more reliable and cost-effective.
Avanti’s right to operate the West Coast main line could come to an end in October if services do not continue to improve.
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