Avanti's contract to run train services on the West Coast Mainline could come to an end. Ministers said that "all options" remain on the table once the agreement ends.
The rail operator has run fewer than half of its normal services since August 14. It blamed the lack of services on “unofficial strike action” by train drivers.
Transport minister Trudy Harrison insisted restoring the service between London and Manchester to full strength was an “absolute priority” for the Government. In the Commons, she faced calls from Labour to strip Avanti of the contract when it expires in October.
The firm says it normally runs around 400 trains per week with drivers voluntarily working on their rest days – for extra pay – but that “dropped suddenly to fewer than 50”. Ms Harrison told MPs: “Avanti has reduced their timetable in response to the withdrawal of the rest day working. Reducing the timetable provided better certainty and reliability for passengers as it reduced the number of short-notice cancellations.
“The department continues to work closely with Avanti to monitor performance whilst they continue to review the demand data and the position regarding train crew availability to inform options to reliably increase services. An increase in services between Manchester and London remains an absolute priority and Avanti will continue to look for opportunities to support passengers and businesses along this route.”
Ms Harrison said the West Coast partnership franchise agreement is due to expire on October 16, adding a “decision has yet to be taken” by the Transport Secretary. She added: “Given the market and the commercially sensitive nature of the outcome, further information cannot be provided at this time.”
But the minister later went further, telling the Commons: “We are considering all options, all options remain on the table. Withdrawing Avanti’s contract is one of those options, but we are bearing in mind all of the implications of that.
"As I said earlier, you can cut this cake however you want, but ultimately we need the drivers to be driving the trains and that has got to be the absolute priority. One service an hour is completely unacceptable.”
