Avanti West Coast Slashes Services Amid RMT Strikes
Avanti West Coast has revealed drastically reduced timetables for the first two strike days as the RMT union launches industrial action. Expect only around 25% of normal weekday services on Tuesday 21 and Thursday 23 June, with roughly a third of the usual Saturday timetable on 25 June.
The full revised timetables are live now on Avanti’s website. Additional updates will be posted closer to the dates.
Major Disruptions & No Trains to Key Stops
Travel will be a nightmare on strike days. Trains will be jam-packed with fewer services running, so customers are urged to travel only if absolutely necessary. Even the day after the strikes could see knock-on delays.
Avanti plans to run just one train per hour from London Euston to Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Preston. Services to Glasgow will be severely limited. The first train departs just before 8am, and the last mid-afternoon.
Important to note: There will be no Avanti trains stopping at North Wales, Shrewsbury, Blackpool, or Edinburgh on 21, 23, and 25 June. Plus, stations including stoke-on-trent/" title="Stoke-on-Trent" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield, Stockport, and Runcorn will be closed due to signalling complications.
Ticket Flexibility and Refunds
- Tickets bought for travel between Tuesday 21 June and Sunday 26 June can be used up until Monday 27 June.
- Passengers can also claim a full refund with no fees for tickets covering those dates.
Avanti Boss Hits Out at Strike Plans
“We are disappointed with the decision to go on strike, which we believe is premature and will cause untold misery for customers,” said Phil Whittingham, Managing Director of Avanti West Coast. “We would urge the RMT not to go ahead with industrial action and instead work with us to secure the rail service’s long-term future.”
Whittingham added that all trains running on strike days would have fully trained staff onboard and at stations – but he warned: “Our trains may be extremely crowded, and destinations may be served infrequently, if at all. We strongly advise customers to only travel on our route on strike days if absolutely necessary, and to make alternative arrangements or claim a full refund.”
“For those who must travel, please check our website for the latest info before you leave. We thank our customers in advance for their patience.”
Network Rail Preps for Turbulence
“We’re working hard with all train operators, including Avanti West Coast, to run the best service we can for passengers and freight users next week, despite the RMT’s actions,” said Phil James, Network Rail’s North West route director. “A special timetable will be in place if the damaging strikes go ahead as planned.”
James pointed out thousands of trained backup staff will step in but warned service will be severely limited due to only a fraction of the usual workforce being available. “We’re asking passengers to plan ahead, listen to their train operator, and only consider travelling next week if absolutely necessary.”
