Avanti West Coast confirms travel advice for latest strike action

• Customers told not to travel on 12 May as no Avanti West Coast services will operate due to strike action by drivers
• Reduced timetable and operating hours on 13 May during RMT strike
• Eurovision fans advised to plan ahead and check before they travel to Liverpool

Avanti West Coast has issued travel advice for strike action by ASLEF and RMT, which will significantly disrupt services later this week.  

Customers are being told not to travel on Friday 12 May, because Avanti West Coast will be unable to run any trains when the train driver’s union, ASLEF, go on strike.

With no trains running to and from all destinations across the network during the ASLEF industrial action on 12 May, customers are being told not to attempt travel and instead claim a refund, seek alternative transport, or rearrange journeys for another date.

Options to travel by rail will be extremely limited on the West Coast Main Line between London, Scotland, and North Wales. Many destinations will have no rail connectivity on 12 May and rail replacement services will not be in place either.

On Saturday 13 May, customers are strongly advised to check before they travel as the intercity operator will be running a greatly reduced timetable. This is in response to strike action by the RMT coordinated across train operators.

While Avanti West Coast is able to serve Liverpool with its normal frequency of services on this day, RMT’s action means the last train to depart the city will be much earlier and Eurovision fans should also consider their travel options.

Avanti West Coast’s usual hourly service between London and Liverpool will be in place on the day of the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest (13 May). These will only operate over a 10-hour period – equating to approximately two thirds of its normal timetable.

These trains will operate during limited hours – with the first train of the day departing Euston just after 6am, and the last train of the day from Euston departing around 4.30pm.

To provide more options for Eurovision fans travelling to and from the city, the train operator will operate an earlier departure from Euston (06:08 to Liverpool); and a later departure from Liverpool (16:43 to Euston).

Avanti West Coast will also run one train per hour between London Euston to Manchester, and Preston (with a limited number extended to Carlisle) as part of its contingency plans for Saturday’s RMT strike action.

The reduced timetable on 13 May will mean North Wales, Shrewsbury, and Blackpool have no Avanti West Coast services. Due to major upgrade work by Network Rail near Carstairs, there will be no direct trains to Scotland. Journeys to Glasgow and Edinburgh will involve a change at Carlisle, where connections into rail replacement services, as well as a limited rail service operated by ScotRail, will be available.

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

Customers with tickets for 12 and 13 May (purchased before 27 April) can claim a full fee-free refund from their point of purchase. Alternatively, tickets dated 12 and 13 May can be used from 11 May up to and including 16 May.   

Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield, and Wilmslow will not be served by Avanti West Coast on 13 May due to operational reasons.

Barry Milsom, Executive Director of Operations and Safety at Avanti West Coast, said: “We’re doing all we can to get visitors to and from Liverpool during Eurovision but more strike action by ASLEF and RMT will affect our services. Due to ASLEF’s walkout on 12 May, we’ll have no trains on this day and are telling customers not to travel.

“During the strike action by RMT on 13 May we’ll be operating a significantly reduced timetable, so all our customers should plan ahead, check before they travel and be aware of their last train home.

“While we’re able to serve Liverpool with our normal frequency of services on this day, RMT’s action means our last train to depart the city will be much earlier and Eurovision fans should also consider their travel options. Any customers with tickets for 12 and 13 May can make their journey on alternative days or claim a full refund.

“We’d like to thank our customers for their continued patience and understanding as they face further disruption to their journeys. We will continue our industry reform talks with the RMT and ASLEF so we can develop a railway fit for the 21st century.”

ENDS