‘Enough is enough’ – Andy Burnham issues emphatic statement on Avanti West Coast nationalisation

Avanti West Coast is set to be nationalised from next spring, the Government has confirmed.

After it was revealed back in 2024 to be the UK’s most ‘unreliable’ train operator, according to a shocking study, with 15.36% of its trains cancelled or delayed on average, it has now been confirmed that Avanti – which runs the West Coast Main Line from Manchester to London – will be transferred over to public ownership in March 2027.

Avanti was controversially awarded a long-term contract to operate the West Coast Main Line in September 2023 – with the contract set to run until 2032 at the latest.

Before this, the company had previously been given until 1 April 2023 to continue running the route, but was told it needed to ‘drastically improve’ its services if it was to stand any chance of having the contract extended further beyond that date.

Despite many customers continuing to voice discontent with level of services during this time, the Department for Transport (DfT) under the previous Conservative government deemed ‘significant improvements had been made’.

Now though, in the year 2026 with a Labour government in power at Prime Minister Andy Burnham at the helm, it has been confirmed that Avanti West Coast will be nationalised.

The Government says the services will be ‘run in the interests of passengers, not private sector shareholders’.

“From 7 March, taxpayers will no longer be paying fees to a private operator. Instead, every penny will be spent for the benefit of passengers,” the Labour Party said in a statement.

Andy Burnham has also issued his own emphatic statement on the matter.

Enough is enough.

For years, people have been expected to put up with Avanti’s cancellations, delays, overcrowding, and a service that has failed them time and time again.

So my Labour government is bringing Avanti West Coast into public ownership at the earliest opportunity in…

— Andy Burnham (@andyburnham) September 27, 2026

He wrote on X: “Enough is enough. For years, people have been expected to put up with Avanti’s cancellations, delays, overcrowding, and a service that has failed them time and time again.

“So my Labour government is bringing Avanti West Coast into public ownership at the earliest opportunity in March next year. That means passengers, not shareholders, will come first.

“More investment, fewer delays, and a renewed focus on getting the basics right.

“We’re putting essential services back in public hands and building a railway that actually works for the people who use it.”

Read more:

• Avanti West Coast revealed as Britain’s most ‘unreliable’ train operator
• Avanti vows to ‘rebuild trust’ as it’s controversially awarded long-term West Coast contract
• Local leaders pen hard-hitting letter to Prime Minister over rumoured scrapping of HS2 to Manchester

Andy Mellors, who is the Managing Director at Avanti West Coast, added in his own statement: “Over the coming months, we’ll work closely with the Government to ensure a seamless transition into public ownership while remaining focused on delivering for our customers and communities.”

Featured Image – Avanti (Press Image)