Avanti West Coast confirms revised timetable for latest strike action

• Avanti West Coast will operate significantly reduced timetable on 22 October
• Customers advised to check before they travel and expect longer journeys
• Less frequent service and shorter hours of operation could result in busy trains

Avanti West Coast is advising customers to check before they travel ahead of more strike action this weekend.

A significantly reduced timetable will be in operation on Saturday 22 October, as RMT members working as Train Managers at Avanti West Coast go on strike – with fewer services running during limited operating hours.

On Saturday, Avanti West Coast will run one train per hour from London Euston to each of Manchester, Glasgow, and Liverpool, with services to Liverpool going via the West Midlands (including calls at Coventry, Birmingham International, Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton) due to planned upgrade work by Network Rail between Rugby and Stafford.  

These trains will operate during limited hours, with the first train of the day departing Euston just before 7.30am and the last train of the day from Euston departing mid-afternoon, around 4.30pm. The major upgrade work will also mean services to some destinations will have longer journey times, as trains are diverted.

The significantly reduced timetable means North Wales, Shrewsbury, Chester, Blackpool and Edinburgh will have no Avanti West Coast services.

With fewer services running and a significantly reduced operation, trains could be busy, and customers are strongly advised to check before they travel and be aware of their last train home.

Any customers who booked tickets for travel on 22 October before the strike was announced (7 October) can claim a full fee-free refund from their point of purchase. Alternatively, customers with existing tickets for 22 October can use them anytime between now and 24 October.

Barry Milsom, Executive Director of Operations and Safety at Avanti West Coast said: “We’re disappointed by the RMT's decision to go on strike this Saturday and again on 6 November. Our customers are facing another weekend of disruption and I would like to thank them for their continued patience and understanding.

“We all need to be working together for the long-term benefit of our people and customers. So, we ask RMT to engage in meaningful industry reform talks around modernising working practices and developing a railway fit for the 21st century.”

The RMT union has also announced strike action by Avanti West Coast Train Managers on 6 November. *