Avanti West coast contract extended to 1st April 2023

[HamworthyGoods]

My prediction is that we will see the OLR operating the service under the name “LMS”’ within a year.

Service Unavailable – Apply to register a trade mark – Intellectual Property Office

trademarks.ipo.gov.uk

The big issue is it isn’t just Avanti, the contract is West Coast Partnership.

OLR has no experience of planning/preparing for High Speed Rail. The bigger win is actually getting this right setting the future not the current issues.

 

[Sorcerer]

The big issue is it isn’t just Avanti, the contract is West Coast Partnership.

OLR has no experience of planning/preparing for High Speed Rail. The bigger win is actually getting this right setting the future not the current issues.

Surely an LNER style arrangement would be able to get around the high speed rail issue? Arup Group, Ernst & Young and SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit provided assistance to the OLR, so surely Trenitalia could serve as some consultation in the event of OLR taking over the West Coast Partnership? Or if failing that maybe SNCF or Renfe Operadora? Or in fact, and this may even be the most preferable option, how about the DfT drop the requirement for experience? These high speed operators had to start somewhere so surely we could do the same with HS2?

 

[Clarence Yard]

Don’t forget what OLR is. It puts a couple of people on the TOC Board, which it then chairs. It can, through the Board, change the senior managers but it isn’t a management team itself.

So taking over the WCP should be fairly easy. Just have a couple of people overseeing it.

I get the impression that the existing OLR team are trying to do it all themselves, rather than bring others into the fold and then spread the workload a bit. If they expanded their team, they certainly could take over more TOCs.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Louise Haigh MP Labour Opposition Transport Spokesperson has been trying to find out whats happening with AWC driver recruitment and has clearly got a good adviser or someone is feeding her the info

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2022-10-13/62893

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the West Coast Partnership Emergency Recovery Measures agreement, published September 2020, Part 1, Schedule 6.2(A), Clause 10.2(b), how many train drivers were needed to be recruited to deliver the planned passenger services, and how many of those drivers have been recruited to date.

Kevin Foster MP responds with half a story but no surprise there

To date, Avanti West Coast has recruited 105 drivers.

Extended and unprecedented reductions in train services, alongside training restrictions imposed just months after the start of the Franchise, have made accurate driver requirement projections challenging.

AWC are on course to introduce 100 additional drivers into formal service this year in support of its recovery plan which will see services significantly increase by December.

Proofs in the pudding in a few weeks then

She's raised several questions on AWC

https://questions-statements.parlia...Answered=Any&AnsweringBodyId=27&Expanded=True

 

[Sorcerer]

On course to introduce 100 additional drivers? Well they're certainly taking their sweet merry time, cause my application is still marked down as submitted.

 

[deaftech]

Proofs in the pudding in a few weeks then

The proof is not in the pudding, but in the eating thereof!

 

[XAM2175]

On course to introduce 100 additional drivers? Well they're certainly taking their sweet merry time, cause my application is still marked down as submitted.

If they're on track to introducing them by the end of this year then you're not one of them.

 

[Sorcerer]

If they're on track to introducing them by the end of this year then you're not one of them.

I was joking. I only applied earlier this month so if I'm passing out by the end of the year already then industry standards truly have fallen.

 

[Snow1964]

Does anyone know how Avanti are doing with their short term plan ahead of the stop-gap extension to 1st April 2023

• the successful delivery of its timetable recovery plan and a significant, sustained and reliable increase from about 180 trains per day to 264 trains per day on weekdays as new and retrained drivers become available
• continuing to deliver on its traincrew recruitment and plans to reduce reliance on rest day working to operate services
• extending booking options for passengers, making the full range of tickets available as early as possible

Have they reached the 264 trains each day ?

Last time I looked full range of tickets (even if not for normal 12 weeks ahead) hasn’t been implemented yet

Avanti West Coast placed on short-term contract to drastically improve services

The Department for Transport has placed Avanti West Coast on a short-term contract and challenged it to deliver the urgent increase in services required.

www.gov.uk

 

[Andrew*Debbie]

Does anyone know how Avanti are doing with their short term plan ahead of the stop-gap extension to 1st April 2023

New schedule has five direct trains per day between Euston and Holyhead. Today they manged to run one or two of them

 

[dk1]

New schedule has five direct trains per day between Euston and Holyhead. Today they manged to run one or two of them

It’s not going to get much better on a regular basis for a while yet.

 

[Huntergreed]

It’s not going to get much better on a regular basis for a while yet.

Then the timetable must be reduced - there can be a significant increase, but if it’s not reliable then the timetable needs to be adjusted to a point where it can be reliable.

Just how long are we looking at to get all these staff trained up? Some did try and hype today up as the “big improvement” which, whilst in theory the timetable has got better, in practice reliability seems even worse!

 

[dk1]

Then the timetable must be reduced - there can be a significant increase, but if it’s not reliable then the timetable needs to be adjusted to a point where it can be reliable.

Just how long are we looking at to get all these staff trained up? Some did try and hype today up as the “big improvement” which, whilst in theory the timetable has got better, in practice reliability seems even worse!

Well into 2023 I’d say before a marked improvement.

 

[Huntergreed]

Well into 2023 I’d say before a marked improvement.

In that case, I would suggest (and expect) a reduced timetable until at least the May change, when hopefully staff availability will be somewhat better and a resolution to the current industrial disputes is, if not found, at least closer.

The 4tph timetable before wasn’t ideal (and arguably wasn’t reduced enough) but it did increase reliability, but could have done more. I would suggest a slightly altered version (perhaps scrap the Scotland/Blackpool - Euston via Brum) and that would help with reliability, until such a time as this mess is sorted.

Customers won’t be fussed too much about how many trains there are (within reason), as long as they all run.

 

[dk1]

In that case, I would suggest (and expect) a reduced timetable until at least the May change, when hopefully staff availability will be somewhat better and a resolution to the current industrial disputes is, if not found, at least closer.

The 4tph timetable before wasn’t ideal (and arguably wasn’t reduced enough) but it did increase reliability, but could have done more. I would suggest a slightly altered version (perhaps scrap the Scotland/Blackpool - Euston via Brum) and that would help with reliability, until such a time as this mess is sorted.

Customers won’t be fussed too much about how many trains there are (within reason), as long as they all run.

Suppose they are trying to paper over the cracks in what could be their last few months running trains on the WCML lol. Who knows?

 

[142blue]

Someone say no rest day / overtime working next week too?

 

[jfollows]

Does anyone know how Avanti are doing with their short term plan ahead of the stop-gap extension to 1st April 2023


Have they reached the 264 trains each day ?

Last time I looked full range of tickets (even if not for normal 12 weeks ahead) hasn’t been implemented yet

Avanti West Coast placed on short-term contract to drastically improve services

The Department for Transport has placed Avanti West Coast on a short-term contract and challenged it to deliver the urgent increase in services required.

www.gov.uk

Although the current service isn't good enough, and doesn't meet the new timetable, it is true that Avanti has been ramping up the services between Manchester and London over the past month or so. There are a number of "Q" paths in the timetable, generally the Manchester-Wilmslow-Crewe-London ones which is why I notice them, and they've been gradually filled with real trains more and more.
As I say, not enough, and not enough to meet the requirements of today's new timetable, but it is an improvement over a couple of months ago, for what that's worth.
My thinking is that the improvement will be "good enough" to prevent Avanti/First having the contract taken away from them again, it's easier for the government to have a convenient excuse to do the least amount of work possible, but my opinion is that they should already have had the contract terminated and haven't done enough to keep it. We'll see!

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Excluding 1Zxx today there are 127 departures from Euston in RTT for today of which 19 showing cancelled so far.

There social media team seem confident that things can only get better (didn't do Kinnock any good!)

 

[Agent_Squash]

There social media team seem confident that things can only get better (didn't do Kinnock any good!)

View attachment 125143

It worked for Blair, though!

As OLR appears to be at capacity, it doesn’t seem like the DfT will let Avanti fall into it. But from looking at the Lancaster departure board today, things don’t seem to be nearly there yet.

 

[voyagerdude220]

18:52 Edinburgh to London Euston via Birmingham has been diverted to terminate at Glasgow Central this evening, because of the Pendolino having traction issues.

20:06 Glasgow to Crewe being held although not sure why staff couldn't have tried to maybe got pax to change at Carstairs or Motherwell to save the already delayed 20:06 from having to be further delayed.

I appreciate Carstairs and Motherwell aren't the best places to have a large volume of passengers changing at but it would have slightly reduced the delay.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

It worked for Blair, though!

As OLR appears to be at capacity, it doesn’t seem like the DfT will let Avanti fall into it. But from looking at the Lancaster departure board today, things don’t seem to be nearly there yet.

No it doesn't maybe there were infrastructure issues as well but generally day one of a ramp up would have management crawling all over it to make sure it goes well especially as they were supposed to have had all these extra drivers. Anyhow they can now use the strikes as air cover and stress test their resourcing is sufficient for this timetable or cull it again.

 

[Snow1964]

DfT have just published a letter regarding Avanti staffing and performance

No modern and successful business relies on the goodwill of its staff to deliver for its customers in the evening and at the weekend. I want a railway with rewarding jobs, contracted to deliver every service promised to the public. I want to encourage passengers back to a financially sustainable railway.

Members will be aware that, in July 2022, Avanti West Coast experienced an immediate and near total cessation of drivers volunteering to work on passenger trains on rest days. In response, it has had to reduce its timetable to provide greater certainty for passengers.

Similarly, TransPennine Express services continue to be impacted by the loss of rest day working, higher-than-average staff sickness levels, and historically high levels of drivers leaving the business.

The current rail services in the north have therefore been unacceptable, and on November 30 2022 I met with the northern mayors in Manchester. In that meeting, we agreed that the rail industry is not set up to deliver a modern reliable service, and that we need both short-term and long-term measures to address this.

As a short-term measure, Avanti West Coast and TransPennine Express have both been rapidly increasing the number of drivers they employ. This is helping Avanti restore the services that they were forced to withdraw. Services increased in September, and have now increased to 7 trains per hour, restoring the full Manchester-London service. It is therefore disappointing that passengers will not see the full benefit of these changes until the current wave of industrial action is over. I was pleased to see the RMT call off the strike action scheduled for Avanti West Coast on 11 and 12 December 2022, as sustaining this level of service will require the support of the trade unions.

Transport update: Avanti West Coast, TransPennine Express and Northern rail services

Outlines some of the steps that need to be taken to improve rail services in the north.

www.gov.uk

 

[Mainline421]

OLR has no experience of planning/preparing for High Speed Rail. The bigger win is actually getting this right setting the future not the current issues.

But the OLR does already manage high speed rail on Southeastern of course, so this shouldn't be an issue.

 

[LYuen]

The big issue is it isn’t just Avanti, the contract is West Coast Partnership.

OLR has no experience of planning/preparing for High Speed Rail. The bigger win is actually getting this right setting the future not the current issues.

But the OLR does already manage high speed rail on Southeastern of course, so this shouldn't be an issue.

HS2 is 10 years away so I expect at least 2 changes of ToC before it opens, and LNER runs the east coast mainline rather successfully.

 

[jfollows]

https://www.theguardian.com/politic...onservatives-boris-johnson-uk-politics-latest reports

Train drivers at Avanti West Coast are to be balloted for industrial action in a row over rosters, PA Media reports. Aslef accused the company of imposing new working patterns without agreement.

 

[XCTurbostar]

My prediction is that we will see the OLR operating the service under the name “LMS”’ within a year.

Service Unavailable – Apply to register a trade mark – Intellectual Property Office

trademarks.ipo.gov.uk

The DfT has previously held many names to cover for collapsing franchises such as 'Great Western Trains'. I think it is unlikely to use this name in the time period you stated.

 

[dk1]

The DfT has previously held many names to cover for collapsing franchises such as 'Great Western Trains'. I think it is unlikely to use this name in the time period you stated.

Was hoping for ‘LMS’ last time as franchises where going that way when First & Co came up with the hideous ‘Avanti’ trading name.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Was hoping for ‘LMS’ last time as franchises where going that way when First & Co came up with the hideous ‘Avanti’ trading name.

"Avanti" could have worked pretty well with the right marketing. Frecciarossa is well-regarded, as are Italian food and Italian coffee. I even gave them a free slogan (well, I posted it here) - "travel with a bit of Italian flair" - which could have included hand-stitched leather seats/headrests, Illy espresso in the buffet, pasta dishes on sale and in First Class etc.

Unfortunately, they are just lackadaisical rubbish, with the only nod towards Italy being a bit of green and red in the livery.

 

[dk1]

"Avanti" could have worked pretty well with the right marketing. Frecciarossa is well-regarded, as are Italian food and Italian coffee. I even gave them a free slogan (well, I posted it here) - "travel with a bit of Italian flair" - which could have included hand-stitched leather seats/headrests, Illy espresso in the buffet, pasta dishes on sale and in First Class etc.

Unfortunately, they are just lackadaisical rubbish, with the only nod towards Italy being a bit of green and red in the livery.

I’d rather a nod towards our heritage than anything Italian.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I’d rather a nod towards our heritage than anything Italian.

But then that's personal preference. My point is it needn't have been rubbish. But it is, and has been since day one.

The one thing I'll give them is that in my view Standard in the refurbished Pendolino is excellent.