Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of industrial action by rail workers on the ability of Avanti West Coast to adequately improve their service before their extended contract expires.

On 11 December Avanti West Coast (AWC) implemented major changes to its timetable, increasing services from four trains per hour to seven trains per hour, which is expected to lead to an improvement in reliability. The delivery of the new timetable has been restricted by strike action and, on non-strike days, bad weather and engineering works, which has meant that passengers are yet to see a sustained improvement.

The Department will review AWC’s operational performance over the term of the Emergency Measures contract as one of the important factors when considering the contractual arrangements for train services on the West Coast Main Line beyond 1 April 2023, recognising that not all factors are within AWC’s control. Whether there has been stable industrial relations and cooperation from Trade Unions will be taken into consideration.