Criticism mounts against the UK government's handling of the Avanti West Coast rail franchise, with calls for its contract to be revoked due to poor service. Rail Minister Huw Merriman faces backlash for defending the decision not to strip Avanti of its franchise amidst reports of the operator cancelling around 26 trains a day. Labour MPs and the RMT union accuse the government of rewarding failure and demand public ownership of rail franchises. Avanti's contract extension for nine years despite its performance has sparked outrage, highlighting the broader issues within the UK rail system, including claims of £500m a year profits being made at the expense of service quality.
If you would like to see the #Lichfield to #Burton line open to passenger traffic with a halt at the National Memorial Arboretum at #Alrewas, tell your Staffordshire County Councillor. @Nat_Mem_Arb https://t.co/FV2DBBvshH
The Government refusing to strip Avanti of its contract is a disgrace. Avanti should have lost the contract a long time ago. They treat their passengers and their staff with contempt. It needs to be brought back under public ownership. We deserve a Rail Service that works. https://t.co/htGmKyOsWs
MP calls for passenger rail link to National Memorial Arboretum - BBC News https://t.co/FV2DBBvshH
🚅 Labour has privately indicated to the rail industry that it plans to resurrect part of the northern leg of HS2, Whitehall sources have told The Telegraph https://t.co/AMWBnxOcmh
Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, tells me that funding is now available for a rail service from #Lichfield to #Burton via #Alrewas and the @Nat_Mem_Arb if the County gives the go-ahead. The scheme was drawn up by the @WMRailExecutive at my and @Andy4WM's request. https://t.co/x3DAlI8Lxx
A new railway line has been proposed between Staffordshire and Manchester Airport following the scrapping of HS2. Read more here: https://t.co/qDPQ1DyNUN https://t.co/rxRLt2wOkb
Avanti West Coast is still cancelling around 26 trains a day amid calls for the operator to be stripped of the franchise, @theipaper can reveal 🔴 Exclusive from @SteveRobson04 https://t.co/wxgW0crTFR
Ministers should stop parroting Avanti's excuses for their poor performance and get rid of them! https://t.co/6DEKhe8kc1
When it comes to failing train operator @AvantiWestCoast it’s everybody else’s fault! The cancellations, lateness, appalling relations with staff, grubbing after ‘free money’… nothing to do with @FirstGroupPLC Repost if you agree we should #EndAvantiNow https://t.co/wdxM7cbXBI
Shocking that the Govt rewarded @AvantiWestCoast with a nine-year contract extension for providing an awful service. With @UKLabour, passengers will come first. Rail franchises will be brought back into public ownership as contracts expire or are broken. https://t.co/uba7n3MCxT
🚨Today the Rail Minister has point-blank refused to strip Avanti West Coast of its contract Passengers across the North will be horrified at the utter complacency and neglect at the heart of this Government The Conservatives will always reward failure and put passengers last👇 https://t.co/z48j9EoSyf
📹 The Government is in denial. Just 24 hours after @Transport4North unanimously called for failing train operator @AvantiWestCoast to be stripped of its contract and taken into public ownership, @HuwMerriman fails rail passengers yet again. https://t.co/t0VQxLYqTm
Thanks to @lloyd_rm MP for name-checking @RMTunion research into the £500m a year profits leaking out of the rail industry while this government rearranges the deckchairs on its sinking ship. We need a railway where every penny spent goes on providing services to passengers. https://t.co/NChJn7tFtD
#Avanti West Coast made the level of waste in our rail system crystal clear when they bragged about getting ‘free money’ from Government despite the truly shocking service they deliver. It is clear only Labour has a plan to fix our railways. My question today👇🏻 https://t.co/ty60ZxnHxh
Rail minister, Huw Merriman coming out with all sorts of nonsense at transport question time to justify not stripping Avanti of their franchise. He should go to Euston station and tell passengers what a good job he thinks Avanti are doing. Passengers will soon set him straight!