Avanti has vowed to “rebuild trust” after it has been controversially awarded a long-term contract to operate the West Coast Main Line.
It comes after the company had previously been given until 1 April 2023 to continue running the route from London to Glasgow, but had been told that it needed to “drastically improve” its services if it was to stand any chance of having the contract extended further beyond that date due to its chaotic past since taking over from Virgin in December 2019.
Despite many customers still expressing discontent with level of services during this time, the Department for Transport (DfT) still went on to award Avanti another six-month contract extension from the start of April onwards after it deemed “significant improvements had been made since October”.
The DfT said its decision at the time followed Avanti being ordered to develop a recovery plan aimed at “addressing poor performance on vital West Coast Main Line routes” – including between Manchester, Birmingham, and London.
And now, it has been confirmed today that the operator has, once again, been given full control of the West Coast Main Line by the DfT.
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Avanti has been awarded a long-term contract to run the West Coast Main Line / Credit: Avanti West Coast
It’s part of a new National Rail Contract known as the West Coast Partnership (WCP).
According to Avanti, the long-term WCP will commence on 15 October 2023 and will last until 17 October 2032, subject to ongoing approval, and will begin with a core three-year term to 18 October 2026.
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The DfT says it has worked closely with Avanti to “restore reliability and punctuality to levels that passengers expect” throughout the two contract extensions, and it feels the operator’s performance has “improved significantly” – with cancellations said to be consistently below 3% since March 2023, down from 13% in January 2023, and over 90% of trains now arriving within 15 minutes of their scheduled time, which is improved from 75% in December 2022.
Not only that, but more than 100 additional drivers are also said to have been trained and brought on since April 2022, while improvements to passenger facilities on trains have been too been carried out – including better seats, lighting, and charging points.
The operator has vowed to rebuild the public’s “trust and confidence” / Credit: Avanti West Coast
Transport Secretary Mark Harper has reassured the public that the DfT will “stay in close contact” with Avanti throughout the duration of the new long-term partnership to monitor its performance as it continues its progress to a “sustained recovery” and “increase services over time”.
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Avanti West Coast’s Managing Director, Andy Mellors, admitted that the last year has been “challenging” for the operator as he thanked customers and stakeholders for their “patience” while commenting on the awarding of the new contract.
“There are still challenges ahead,” he added, “but plenty to look forward to”.
Featured Image – Avanti West Coast
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Exciting new CGIs released of £500m Therme Manchester wellness resort as construction continues
Emily Sergeant
As construction continues on Manchester’s massive wellness resort, some new CGIs have now been released.
In case you need bringing up to speed, construction of the £500 million Therme Manchester wellness resort officially began last September after several years of planning, and now developers have released some exciting new CGIs – with an update on how construction is going, as a new milestone has been reached this week.
Set to open to the public in 2029, Therme Manchester will become one of the largest urban wellbeing resorts in the world.
Visitors can expect to make the most of a 10 pools – both lagoon and wave pools included – thermal bathing, multi-sensory sauna rituals, steam rooms, 18 water slides, affordably-priced luxury spa therapies, and health and fitness experiences.
Exciting new CGIs released of Therme Manchester have been released / Credit: Supplied
At the heart of Therme Manchester will be three distinct zones, each offering a different way to spend time at the resort.
Play will bring together water-based fun and attractions for families and visitors of all ages, and Restore will focus on thermal bathing and restorative experiences designed to help visitors unwind, while Relax will offer spaces for relaxation and wellbeing.
The latest CGIs showcase the design as it develops – including the resort’s extensive indoor and outdoor spaces, and its 53,000sq ft wellbeing garden.
Construction is still underway on the £500m wellness resort / Credit: Supplied
The plans also feature a new public plaza designed to strengthen connections between the resort and the Bridgewater Canal.
Professor David Russell, CEO of Therme UK, said: “We have taken the opportunity to refine the design, improve how traffic and parking are managed and create a more welcoming environment for everyone arriving at the resort.
“We are creating an even better experience for visitors while supporting more efficient and sustainable operations.”
Therme Manchester was initially touted as a £250m project that would complete in 2025, but it’s now up to £500m and is scheduled to complete it 2029.
It marks one of the most significant building developments to ever take place in the North.
Featured Image – Supplied
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All students in England to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE
Emily Sergeant
All students in England are soon to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE.
Said to be part of the UK’s ‘enduring support’ for the Ukrainian community and continued commitment to stand with Ukraine and its people, young people in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will now have the opportunity to study for a new Ukrainian GCSE, the Government has announced.
While the qualification will be open to all students, it marks a ‘particularly significant’ milestone for Ukrainian children and young people living in the UK.
It’s hoped that the introduction of the new GCSE will help Ukrainians to preserve a vital connection to their language, culture, and identity.
It’s also hoped that it’ll open pathways to future education and employment for all pupils.
In line with the other modern foreign language GCSEs that are currently on offer, the qualification will assess listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, while also recognising the cultural and historical contexts that shape the Ukrainian language.
Examination board AQA will now begin the next phase of development, bringing together language and subject experts to design what will be a ‘high-quality’ qualification reflecting the richness of Ukrainian language and culture.
Education Secretary, Lucy Powell, commented: “As they build their lives here in the UK, it is right that Ukrainians and their children should have every opportunity to maintain that connection to their heritage and to be proud of who they are.
“This new qualification is available to all pupils and will give them the chance to develop their language skills and celebrate Ukraine’s rich culture and history, while also opening pathways to future study and employment and strengthening our partnership with Ukraine.
“Through that enduring partnership, we are building the lasting ties between our countries that will see the young minds of the future move forward together, and foster connections that transcend borders.”
The Ukrainian GCSE is expected to be available for first teaching from September 2028 – with first assessments taking place in 2029.
Emily Sergeant -
20th September 2023 
