Avanti West Coast set for public ownership as ministers examine state-owned trains
Avanti West Coast will transfer into public ownership on March 7 when its current contract ends, the UK government has announced. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander also said ministers would examine whether Great British Railways should own new trains directly, citing the cost of leasing rolling stock from private companies.
Avanti West Coast will be brought into public ownership on March 7, when its current operating contract ends, the UK government has announced. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed the decision in a speech at the Labour conference. Avanti operates intercity services linking London with Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and other destinations in the north-west, Wales and Scotland.
The company has faced criticism over delays, cancellations, overcrowding and fares. Andy Burnham said passengers had been failed repeatedly and welcomed the move, saying public ownership should put passengers ahead of shareholders. Alexander also said the government would explore whether the state should own new trains ordered through Great British Railways.
Train operators currently lease rolling stock from private companies known as rolling-stock companies, or Roscos. She said franchised train operators spent more than £4bn leasing and maintaining trains they did not own in 2024. The government said those costs included financing, transaction costs and investment returns ultimately borne by taxpayers and passengers.
Alexander said ownership of new trains would be considered on a case-by-case basis. A rolling-stock company director briefed on the plans said there was no proposal to nationalise existing trains. Rail unions welcomed the Avanti decision and the possible change to train ownership.
The RMT said private rolling-stock arrangements diverted money from the railways, while Aslef described the announcement as a step forward for the network. Avanti managing director Andy Mellors said the company was proud of improvements made over six years, including refurbishment of its Pendolino fleet and the introduction of Evero trains. The government has been transferring passenger operators into public ownership as contracts expire, ahead of Great British Railways taking full oversight in 2027.
Chiltern Railways recently became the sixth operator nationalised under Labour. Great Western Railway is scheduled to follow in December, with the remaining transfers due by autumn 2027.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.