Avanti West Coast handed over six-month lifeline to improve trains after months of chaos

The railway company will get an extension until April 1, giving it one last chance to win a contract to continue operating the West Coast Main Line , in which unions called "reward for failure"

An Avanti West Coast train. The firm was granted an extension until April 1, 2023 (

Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live

Railway Avanti today received a six-month lifeline to improve the West Coast Mainline despite months of 'unacceptable' service as a 'reward for failure'.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham had called for the company to be removed from its contract if it did not reinstate a better schedule within weeks.

But today the government announced there will be a 'short-term extension' which will allow Avanti West Coast to operate services until 1 April 2023. Ministers will then consider whether the company deserves a full, performance-based new contract.

It's been hours before thousands of railway workers, including on Avanti, will go on strike tomorrow.

Avanti only runs one train per hour between London Euston and Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow due to a shortage of drivers. tickets.

Passengers at London Euston station during the summer (

Picture:

PENNSYLVANIA)

The government blamed 'old working practices' under which drivers volunteer to work on weekends, saying fewer volunteers have volunteered as the strike intensified elsewhere.< /p>

But critics say the crisis has revealed that Avanti should have hired more drivers to ensure decent turnover.

TSSA union general secretary Manuel Cortes blasted: "This contract extension exposes the ideological folly of putting privatization ahead of services and passengers. Avanti has failed but is being rewarded for that failure.

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“Our Avanti members have been subjected to unacceptable levels of stress due to the incompetence and failure of Avanti operations. They are back on strike tomorrow to demand better jobs, wages and conditions.

"This contract extension will be demoralizing - they deserve better and the government must act."

The government said Avanti's service plans include the successful recovery of schedules of around 180 to 264 trains per day on weekdays.

The company will also have to expand booking options for passengers...