Over the last four periods of FY26 (22 June – 11 October 2025), 86.9% of our services arrived within 15 minutes of schedule, demonstrating strong performance despite ongoing infrastructure works across the network. Over the past year, we’ve seen a halving in the level of cancellations that Avanti is responsible for (TOC on Self cancellations) - these have remained consistently low since the start of the financial year in April and since the last update, these cancellations have averaged at 1.53% (22 June – 11 October 2025). Whilst this does represent a slight uptick, year-on-year figures have improved and remain at a halved rate. 

The below graph shows the average punctuality between 22 June – 11 October 2025. 

We’re continuing to improve accessibility across our network, ensuring all customers feel confident and supported when travelling with us. 

British Sign Language Integration: We’ve introduced British Sign Language (BSL) on our customer information screens and help points at stations. Powered by AI, these tools provide live departure information in BSL, making real-time updates more accessible for deaf passengers. 

Engaging with Disabled Communities: We’ve actively participated in events designed to help disabled groups navigate rail travel. In partnership with Alstom, Transport for Greater Manchester, and Metrolink, we supported a multi-modal journey for new wheelchair users. We also hosted a Try the Train event from Liverpool to Crewe, ending at our Talent Academy, to help disabled customers build confidence in using rail. 

These initiatives reflect our ongoing commitment to making rail travel more inclusive, accessible, and welcoming for all. 

Andy Mellors reflected on a year of progress, including the rollout of our new Evero trains and service levels now exceeding pre-pandemic volumes. He emphasised the importance of working together to deliver a reliable, customer-first railway. 

Shamit Gaiger OBE addressed the HS2 reset and reinforced rail’s role in enabling growth, housing, and jobs, while keeping customers at the centre of everything we do. 

We also tackled the ongoing uncertainty around Great British Railways (GBR) and highlighted the need for clearer reform and better integration of HS2 into the wider network. 

The conversations and connections made at this year’s conference reaffirmed our shared commitment to building a rail network that delivers real value for the people and places we serve. 

Our stakeholder team was at Liverpool Lime Street station for this year’s Labour Party Conference, welcoming delegates and in partnership with First Bus, offering free shuttles down to the conference centre. 

In partnership with the Campaign for Better Transport, we launched a new report – Making the connection: Rail and the sustainable growth opportunity – focused on real-world examples and future opportunities to unlock rail’s full potential. We know that rail is central to the UK’s economic growth and productivity. As one of the UK’s most powerful and proven tools for delivering sustainable economic growth and reducing regional inequality, we brought together a panel of experts including Campaign for Better Transport’s Chief Executive, Ben Plowden; Ken Skates MS, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales; Avanti West Coast’s Managing Director, Andy Mellors and West Coast Partnership Development’s Managing Director, Shamit Gaiger OBE. 

Rail allows people to access opportunities previously out of reach, revitalises communities long left behind, boosts productivity and opens up land for housing and development – all without compromising environmental goals. 

But to unlock this potential, we need to encourage more people to use the railways. So we’re innovating our products. We recently expanded our award-winning Superfare ticket to Chester, providing more affordable journeys for customers and since launching in Spring 2023, we’ve sold over 240,000 of these tickets. 

You can read the full report here.

Parliamentary Drop-In

Alongside our Managing Director, Andy Mellors, our stakeholder team will be in Parliament on 1 December to answer questions from MPs, and discuss local priorities. We’ll also be joined by Network Rail and senior route leaders. 

As the industry is at a critical time of change, our focus remains our customers – delivering a good service day in, day out and playing our part in growing the railway and the wider economy.  

We regularly hold drop-ins for MPs to ensure we hear your feedback, answer questions, and discuss local priorities and we are keen to share what is changing, listen to issues, and discuss how we can better support communities and businesses along the line. 

Community Rail Conference

We’re thrilled to announce that this year’s Annual Community Rail Conference will take place at the inspiring new Vault Youth Zone in Preston, a vibrant hub designed to unlock potential in young people through sport, arts, and enterprise. With the theme of Social Mobility, the conference offers our Community Rail Partnerships a valuable opportunity to explore how rail can be a catalyst for opportunity and inclusion. Find out more here.

Celebrating £1 Billion in Social Value Impact

We've introduced more services across our routes as part of a new September timetable. 

Building on the progress of the last change in May this year, an additional 86 trains per week have been added within the new timetable, equating to over 38,000 additional seats – an increase of 3.8 percent. 

From the launch date of 15 September, the enhancement of services means that for the first time we will be running more services than December 2019, with a new total of 2,045 trains operating across its network per week. 

Those travelling between London and Liverpool will benefit from the greatest uplift in services, with an extra 36 trains per week scheduled to run between these destinations. These will provide customers with the variety of a half-hourly service in some of the busier travelling hours, an improvement on the previous timetable which offered one train per hour throughout the majority of the week. 

Enhancements have also been made to the number of services between London and the Midlands, with customers travelling on this route having 26 more trains per week to choose from. 

Avanti West Coast rolls out recyclable spirit bottle onboard train. 

We have teamed up with a local distillery to serve gin in miniature aluminium bottles as part of its commitment to offer a sustainable menu to customers. 

Working with Forest Distillery – a family-run distillery in the heart of the Peak District – we’ve rolled out fully recyclable aluminium bottles for its ‘Forest to First’ gin miniatures (5cl). 

The innovative bottle will replace the existing glass miniatures – providing a lightweight, compact and sustainable alternative for the gin which is made exclusively for Avanti West Coast.   

Avanti West Coast celebrates double win at National Rail Awards 

Avanti West Coast’s Penrith station and Evero fleet have been honoured at the National Rail Awards. Often dubbed as the ‘Railway Oscars’, the National Rail Awards celebrates outstanding achievements within the rail industry. At a ceremony held in central London, Avanti West Coast won in the Small Station of the Year category for Penrith station and was named as joint winner in the Fleet Achievement of the Year category for the introduction of its Evero fleet. 

Penrith station was recognised on the evening by the judging panel as being a “community-focused transport hub, with an appearance that is welcoming to customers whether they are arriving by train or from the town.” 

Avanti West Coast colleagues at the station were further congratulated by the panel for “the inventive and informative displays within the station that help customers when travelling to and from Penrith.” 

The operator also scooped a joint win in the Fleet Achievement of the Year category, following a successful launch of its Evero fleet – a £350m investment of 13 bi-mode (Class 805) and 10 electric trains (Class 807), the final of which came into service in June. The judging panel congratulated Avanti West Coast for “its well-planned implementation of the fleet, and the benefits that the Evero trains themselves offer to customers.” 

Alongside the two wins, Shashi Vyas, a Cash Office Clerk at Euston who has clocked up 53 years on the railway was shortlisted in the Outstanding Personal Contribution category. Coventry Station was also shortlisted for Large Station of the Year, as well as the Social Media team in the Customer Service Excellence category. Team Euston – a collaboration of Avanti West Coast, Network Rail, London Northwestern Railway and Mitie were also nominated in the category of Outstanding Team Work. 

Mark Green, Station Manager at Penrith, said: “I’m thrilled that Penrith station won Small Station of the Year. We are a small but perfectly formed team, including our community gardeners, and this industry recognition is testament to the commitment and passion of the team, which they show every single day. It’s a real honour and I know the team are delighted with it.”

Tickets for the festive period are now on sale. All ticket types, including the cheapest advance fares, are now on sale for travel dates up to 2 January. To keep customers moving this Christmas, we’re also lifting our Peak restrictions. That means that all Avanti West Coast services from Friday 19 December to Sunday 4 January inclusive are Off-Peak, meaning passengers have flexibility to travel at any time on these dates with an Off-Peak ticket. For additional information on this, see our website here.

Between 27 December and 14 January, some essential engineering projects are taking place across the network to make future journeys more reliable for passengers. Customers making journeys during this time are strongly advised to plan ahead and check before travel. 

We’re working closely with Network Rail and other operators to keep passengers on trains for as much of their journey as possible. Where there are no alternative rail routes, replacement buses will be in place to get passengers where they need to be. 

You can find out further information about these works on our website here: https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/christmas