Avanti West Coast boss insists ‘laser focus’ will help cut cancellations and delays

Avanti West Coast needs to maintain a “laser focus” on cutting cancellations and delays to its train services, its boss has said.

Managing director Andy Mellors also insisted that the operator is “making progress” in improving its performance but that there is “still more to do”.

The MD was speaking to the PA news agency at Liverpool Lime Street station to mark the launch of an additional weekday return service to London.

His comments come after Avanti West Coast had the worst reliability record of 24 operators in Britain this time last year.

According to the most recent figures its ranking has now risen to number 20.

‘Relentless focus starting to bear fruit’ for Avanti West Coast

Mellors said: “There’s been a relentless focus on restoring operational performance and day-to-day delivery, which is starting to bear fruit.”

He added this has been a “collaborative effort” particularly with infrastructure management company Network Rail.

Mellors said Avanti West Coast is “starting to see the benefit of unprecedented levels of recruitment” of drivers, which started in 2022.

He said the operator has more than 650 drivers, including 100 who are at various stages of training.

Asked if passengers can trust Avanti West Coast, Mellors replied: “I came into this role in March of last year, and one of the things I was really clear about was that we needed to regain the trust and confidence of customers and stakeholders.

“What we’ve done over the last 12 months in terms of building back the timetable, running extra services and delivering improvements in punctuality and reliability, has really supported that.

“We are making progress. There’s still more to do, but we continue to keep that laser focus on delivering the best possible service we can for customers and communities.”

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh summoned Mellors and Network Rail bosses for a meeting in July.

She later said the Department for Transport was “exploring options for Avanti” as she was “really shocked at the levels of performance that the previous government tolerated”.

Mellors told PA: “It was an opportunity to talk through the challenges that we both have, ourselves and Network Rail, in terms of delivering the best possible service we can.

“We’ve got a joint performance strategy with Network Rail. Ultimately, we can’t deliver our timetable reliably and punctually without their support.”

Office of Rail and Road figures show Avanti West Coast cancelled the equivalent of 5.9 per cent of services in the four weeks to October 12. That is compared with 6.6 per cent a year earlier.

Some 57 per cent of cancellations in the three months to the end of June were a result of issues outside the control of Avanti West Coast such as infrastructure faults, the operator said.

The government has introduced legislation which will enable it to nationalise train operation when existing contracts expire.

The previous Conservative government awarded Avanti West Coast – owned by FirstGroup and Trenitalia – a new contract starting in October last year, with a core term running until 18 October, 2026.

Mellors said: “The two challenges that the industry faces – consistent operational delivery and growing the business to be less of a burden on the taxpayer – will continue to exist whatever the ownership model.”

He added: “Our focus on improving day-to-day delivery, on growing the business, is undiminished despite the policy of nationalisation.”

Avanti West Coast plans to add 30 additional weekly services on the Liverpool-London route from December 15, which will include some weekend enhancements.

The extra services are currently being operated by new fully electric Evero trains.

Compared with the Voyager trains they are replacing, the Everos have more seats, increased legroom, larger luggage racks and enhanced wi-fi.

They will work alongside Avanti West Coast’s Pendolino trains, which recently underwent the UK’s largest train fleet upgrade.