The chaotic 'Euston crowd rush' could come to an end once Avanti West Coast is brought under public control in March 2027, according to Labour officials. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander announced the expansion of Government-run Great British Railways at the party's conference on Monday, September 28.
Nationalisation plan aims to improve infrastructure and passenger experience
The nationalisation will be supported by a plan to improve infrastructure, reduce delays, and enhance the passenger experience. In London, Labour leaders have welcomed the move as a step towards ending the frequent rush of passengers from the concourse once their platform is displayed on the screen, a short period before departure.
“Avanti passengers travelling in and out of London have had to put up with constant cancellations and delays for too long, with an incredibly stress-inducing experience at Euston to boot,” Elly Baker, Labour's transport spokesperson in the London Assembly, told MyLondon. “Bringing the company into public ownership is an opportunity to finally put passengers first.”
Transport Secretary cites 'underperformance' as reason for public control
Ms Alexander said Avanti's 'underperformance' is behind her decision to bring it under public control 'at the earliest opportunity'. “This Labour Government is committed to putting essential services back in public hands, connecting people to opportunity and delivering growth in every postcode, and this move reflects that commitment,” she said.
“We will also introduce a comprehensive improvement plan, focused on delivering for passengers, not shareholders.” The rail firm will be nationalised under these plans on March 7, 2027.
Avanti managing director responds to nationalisation announcement
Andy Mellors, managing director at Avanti West Coast, said: “We’re proud of what we’ve achieved over the last six years – from refurbishing our Pendolino fleet and introducing our new Evero trains to running more services than ever before.”
“Together, these improvements have given customers greater choice, more capacity and better connectivity, while we’ve continued to innovate to shape the future of the West Coast and wider rail industry. 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.”
Other rail firms also set for public ownership
Earlier this month, the Government announced that Chiltern Railways will come under public ownership in December. Six new trains being introduced will allow rail bosses to ramp up services to one every half an hour between London Marylebone and Birmingham, with 25 extra services per day across the Chiltern network.
Great Western Railway will also be nationalised in December, with the full public ownership programme set to finish by the end of next year.
