Avanti West Coast has announced it will be cutting services between Manchester and London throughout December.
In a move that the rail operator has assured customers is only a pre-emptive “temporary measure”, and one that has been owed to preparation for potential staff shortages, Avanti has confirmed that its timetable will be reduced in the run-up to Christmas – with changes set to impact Greater Manchester.
The changes will affect trains running between Manchester and London, as well as North Wales, Blackpool, and the West Midlands, the company has confirmed.
The December timetable cuts are a pre-emptive move for a period when drivers’ holiday requests and sickness are expected to be highest, and are services on which
Tickets for the services at-risk of being cut are yet to be sold.
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Addressing the timetable cuts, an Avanti spokesperson said: “From 9 December to 31 December we will be removing a small number of services from our timetable, to enable us to run a more reliable service for our customers, and minimise unplanned, short-notice cancellations.
“This is a temporary measure, and we’re sorry for any inconvenience to our customers.”
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Avanti West Coast to cut services between Manchester and London in run-up to Christmas / Credit: Avanti
The announcement that services are between Manchester and the capital are to be cut during one of the busiest times of the year comes after Avanti was controversially awarded a long-term contract to operate the West Coast Main Line a couple of weeks back.
Before this, 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”.
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Following DfT reviews, once again, Avanti’s long-term contract to operate the line was subsequently awarded in mid-September.
Timetable cuts come after the company was awarded a long-term contract extension / Credit: Avanti West Coast
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has called Avanti’s slashing of services to and from the city-region in the run-up to Christmas a “kick in the teeth”, especially after the company had been handed the long-term contract, and also following Prime Minister Rishi Sunak‘s controversial and heavily-criticised recent decision to axe the northern leg of the new HS2 rail line between Birmingham and Manchester.
Burnham said Avanti “should have been left on probation” following the announcement.
“People in Greater Manchester deserve a stable, predictable rail service between here and London and it is simply not acceptable that, once again, it is being chopped and changed in this way,” Burnham said in a statement.
“This decision will see a significant reduction in levels of service between Manchester and London in the crucial period running up to Christmas, impacting on visitor numbers to the city and making it harder for people to get home to see their family.
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“This is no way to run a railway, and our city-region deserves so much better”.
Featured Image – Avanti
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Digital driving licences will be introduced across the UK later this year
Emily Sergeant
Digital driving licences are set to be introduced across the UK later this year, it has been announced.
Science Secretary Peter Kyle has announced today that, before 2025 is out, Brits will be given the option to use a digital version of their driver’s licence from their phone to easily prove their age when buying age restricted items online and in person, as well as proving their right to drive.
A mobile driver’s licence is set to be one of the first digital documents in a GOV.UK wallet app that’s being launched later this year.
— Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (@SciTechgovuk) January 21, 2025
The new wallet will allow users to securely store Government-issued documents on their phone, such as DBS checks, Veteran Cards, and loads more, as well as driving licences, and use them easily when needed by making use of a range of security features that are built into modern smart phones – including facial recognition checks.
According to the Government, the new service means that digital documents will be more secure, even if a device is lost.
Traditional physical documents will still remain available, however.
Digital driving licences will be introduced across the UK later this year / Credit: GDS
The mobile driver’s licence will be piloted later in 2025, and all Government services will have to offer a digital alternative, alongside paper or card credentials, by the end of 2027 under plans set out by the blueprint for digital Government.
“This is a game changer for the millions of people who use their driving licence as ID,” commented Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander.
“The innovation puts power back in the hands of the people, making everyday interactions faster, easier, and more secure. We are delivering on the Plan for Change by making public services work for everyone.”
Featured Image – Pxhere
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Plans to bring Greater Manchester’s rail services onto the Bee Network unveiled
Emily Sergeant
Ambitious plans to bring all rail services in Greater Manchester onto the Bee Network have been unveiled this week.
After the success of all the region’s buses returning to local control at the start of the year, Mayor Andy Burnham has set out Greater Manchester’s step-by-step plan to bring rail into the Bee Network by 2028, working alongside the rail industry to do this as the next part of his joined-up ‘London-style’ public transport system, which is intended to boost passenger numbers, and drive growth across the region.
Developed in partnership with the rail industry, Department for Transport (DfT) and Shadow Great British Rail, Mr Burnham says his plan is aimed at not only improving transport but unlocking major regeneration and housing opportunities on land around the region’s stations too.
Greater Manchester’s proposition is for eight commuter rail lines, covering 64 stations, to be brought into the Bee Network in three phases over the next five years.
Under the plan, the first two lines – which will work to connect Manchester to Glossop and Stalybridge, in Tameside – will join the Bee Network by December 2026, and then a further 32 stations, and all lines within Greater Manchester, would join by 2030.
Not only that, but Greater Manchester leaders have also committed to working with the Government and the rail industry to “improve reliability” and “implement service changes” to help drive growth too.
If all goes to plan, the first branded Bee Network train will be running by the end of 2026.
Bus, tram and train will finally be united in a tap-in, tap-out payment system with a daily cap offering much better value for money than existing rail fares.
Another major change is that TfGM has said it will work with the rail industry to accelerate the delivery of accessibility improvements – with more than 60% of stations on the eight lines set to have step-free access by 2028, compared to 43% at the end of 2024.
“Our rail system today is acting as a brake on growth and, as the UK’s fastest growing city-region, Greater Manchester deserves better,” commented Mayor Andy Burnham, as he unveiled his plans this week.
“We need a railway that is reliable and fully integrated with the rest of the Bee Network to drive growth and deliver new homes with public transport connections on the doorstep.
“Our plan puts passengers first by delivering a simplified, joined-up public transport network, with better services, stations and overall experience. Only by making travel by train more reliable, simpler, flexible and accessible to everyone, will we convince more people to leave the car at home and make the switch to the Bee Network.”
Emily Sergeant -
30th October 2023 
