Richard Scott: Introducing the next generation to train travel
 
 

Introduction from Richard Scott, Director of Corporate Affairs at West Coast Partnership.


Rail is playing a vital role in supporting growth by reconnecting people to places and opportunities across the UK. But as well as attracting people back to the railway, we want to go further, ensuring our services are fit for the next generation of passengers and that the improvements we are investing in now support long-term ambitions to level up the country and develop a net-zero economy.

 

Over the last few months, we have made great strides in improving stations and customer experience, continuing the investments we started in 2019 when the West Coast Partnership began. Work continues on refurbishing our Pendolino fleet and introducing a brand-new fleet of electric and bi-mode Hitachi trains to the West Coast.

 

We have also been able to show the next generation of passengers everything the railway has to offer through our Feel Good Feel Trips for school children across our network. In a first for a UK train operator, this campaign gives pupils aged 4-18 the chance to travel by train to destinations across the West Coast Main Line for hands-on learning, fun and culturally diverse days-out.

 

Of course, as passenger numbers increase so too can the number of services we provide. Avanti West Coast (AWC) increased service levels in February as part of changes to our timetable and in response to increased demand. Our Manchester and West Midlands routes saw an addition of a second hourly service to and from London Euston, increasing the AWC operation to six trains per hour on the West Coast Main Line. There will be a further timetable change from Sunday 15 May, with an additional uplift in the number of services on our network. As always, more details can be found on our website.

 

While this newsletter will give highlights of what we have been up to and what’s ahead, please do get in touch with our team of dedicated Regional Growth Managers if you want to discuss this or any other aspects of our business.

 
 
New look Coventry Station unveiled
 
 

Purpose-built new look station opened following a £82million transformation. 


On 23 March, Coventry Railway Station opened following a £82million transformation which will deliver a step change in the experience for travellers.

 

The major project has delivered a purpose-built new look station building featuring:

  • A footbridge to reach platforms one to four which is connected to the new multi-storey 629-space car park.
  • Greatly improved station access, including a new secure cycle hub, electric vehicle charging points and a direct access tunnel to a new transport interchange.
  • A concourse area with five retail units, waiting rooms and toilets.
  • A “Welcome to Coventry” sign from local artists Charis Esther and Luisa Freitas which has involved dozens of community groups, charities, and schools.
  • A new pedestrian boulevard and an information pod to help visitors arriving in the city.
  • A vehicle drop-off area for passengers and 20 minutes free parking in the new multi-storey car park to pick-up passengers.

Avanti West Coast has worked in partnership with Coventry City Council, Network Rail, and other rail operators, Transport for West Midlands, Friargate JV Project Ltd and other stakeholders on the regeneration programme.

 

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority, said: “It is great to see the railway station open after all the hard work which has gone into its development. It is a fitting gateway for the city, and I am pleased we have been able to play our part in making it happen.”

 

Natasha Grice, Executive Director Stations at Avanti West Coast, said: “The new look station will transform the experience of customers heading to the city by rail. I’ve been watching excitedly as the new station has taken shape and I can’t wait to see the reaction of our passengers when they arrive at Coventry as we look forward to welcoming more visitors to the city in the coming months.”

 

You can find the full press release and aerial footage of the new facility here.

 
 
Thousands of pupils to experience Feel Good Field Trips
 
 

Connecting young people to destinations across the West Coast Main Line for hands-on learning, fun and culturally diverse days-out. 


Avanti West Coast has teamed up with award-winning spoken word performer and social commentator George the Poet to launch Feel Good Field Trips; an initiative that will connect thousands of pupils across Great Britain to immersive and enriching learning opportunities, to which they previously would not have had access.

 

In a first for a UK train operator, the campaign gives pupils aged 4-18 the chance to travel by train to destinations across the West Coast Main Line for hands-on learning, fun and culturally diverse days-out. From learning about the science of sound in a state-of-the-art London recording studio, to art workshops in Coventry City of Culture 2021, and cooking on Manchester’s famous Curry Mile, Feel Good Field Trips will offer up to 5,000 pupils previously unattainable field trip experiences. The schools involved are from Avanti West Coast’s network of partner schools which all have high pupil premium rates.

 

Rail Minister Wendy Morton said: “This is a brilliant initiative from Avanti West Coast, that will get the next generation out and about seeing the best of our country while using our fantastic rail network to do it.”

 

Avanti West Coast Managing Director, Phil Whittingham, said: "The past two years have been incredibly difficult and school children have been particularly affected by this pandemic. Not only has their education been heavily disrupted, but they also lost out on two-years’ worth of social experiences. With the launch of Feel Good Field Trips, we want to give young people across the West Coast Mainline access to truly enjoyable opportunities which they otherwise would miss out on. Our network is rich in iconic destinations, which truly reflect the cultural diversity of our nation. We can’t wait to offer some much-needed joy to thousands of children who thoroughly deserve it.”

 

You can find the full press release and a video of the campaign here.

 
 
All-female team lead operations for International Women’s Day
 
 

All-female team staff Avanti West Coast’s Control department as part of activities to mark International Women’s Day.


On 8 March, an all-female team staffed Avanti West Coast’s Control department as part of activities to mark International Women’s Day (IWD). 

 

Staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Control was run by a team of seven women who collectively have over 100 years of service between them.

 

Filling roles including Duty Control Manager, Information Controller, and Route Controller, the women were responsible for the behind-the-scenes operation, which leads on the day-to-day running of Avanti West Coast services to keep the railway functioning as well as customers moving. 

 

Patrick Allinson, Operations Control Manager at Avanti West Coast, as well as his colleagues, Rachel Hartill (Duty Control Manager) and Amy Bellamy (Information Controller) worked on the idea as a perfect way to mark IWD.

 

“We want to champion what women bring to the industry and staffing our Control with this experienced team for a whole shift today is a great way to show this”, said Patrick.

“The number of women working here in Control is a great thing to celebrate, and by showcasing their roles we hope to encourage others to choose a career in rail. I have an eight-year-old daughter who I want to be able to consider many careers – some of which have previously been dominated by men. By joining my colleagues to recognise women in these roles, and highlight it is becoming the norm, we hope we can break the bias today and for future generations.”

 

You can find the full press release here.

 
 
 
Climate Train named 'Opportunity' and Hitachi Trains ‘Trackathon’
 
 

Naming the Climate Train and finding a name for new Hitachi Trains. 


Climate Train named 'Opportunity'

 

Avanti West Coast's Climate Train will now be known as "Opportunity" following a nationwide search to find a worthy name.

 

A competition on social media was launched last October after the Pendolino was wrapped in a unique design championing rail travel, as part of Avanti West Coast’s partnership with Eurostar to transport delegates attending the COP26 Climate Change Conference between Amsterdam and Glasgow.

 

The successful suggestion was put forward by Kyla Louise Poulton, 18, from Milton Keynes, which was picked by an Avanti West Coast panel from 150 entries. There was also a contest to design the emblem on Opportunity’s name plate, which will adorn the Pendolino. That was won by 10-year-old Luca Fazakerley from Liverpool, who created the artwork themed on what the planet meant to him.

 

You can find the full press release here.

 

Hitachi Trains ‘Trackathon’

 

Meanwhile, in March 2022, Avanti West Coast kicked off a quest to find a name for its new multi-million-pound fleet with a unique event on board a train to come up with ideas. Calling the session a “Trackathon”, guests were invited to take part and put forward proposals which would make a suitable moniker for the Hitachi sets which are due in service in 2023.

 

As the building of the trains continues at pace at Hitachi’s factory in County Durham, the creative juices were put to test on a Pendolino train heading for Manchester from Euston, with a carriage of participants eager to help shape the next generation of rolling stock on the West Coast Main Line.

 

The £350m fleet will comprise of 10 Class 807 seven carriage electric trains and 13 Class 805 five carriage bi-mode trains. They will replace the current diesel Voyager trains and serve the West Midlands, North Wales and Liverpool.

 

You can find the full press release here.

 
 
Special award for Climate Train
 
 

Avanti West Coast and Eurostar shared a prestigious Golden Whistle Award for the Climate Train journey showcasing rail during COP26.


Avanti West Coast and Eurostar shared a prestigious Golden Whistle Award for the Climate Train journey in October last year showcasing rail during the COP26 Climate Change conference.

 

The special 'Climate Train' operated between the Netherlands and Scotland carrying passengers to COP26 thanks to a partnership between Avanti West Coast, Eurostar, NS, ProRail, and Youth for Sustainable Travel.

 

Official delegations from the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Germany joined young people, MEPs, and NGOs such as Friends of the Earth and Oxfam, to enjoy one of the more sustainable ways to travel between the continent and COP26.

 

On arrival in the UK from the Eurostar service, delegates made their way between St Pancras and Euston to join an Avanti West Coast’s iconic Pendolino.

It was fully wrapped with a unique sustainability design to celebrate the journey and applied with the support of train builder Alstom, Aura Graphics as well as rolling stock company Angel Trains who own and invest in the Pendolino fleet.

 

Managing Director of Avanti West Coast, Phil Whittingham, said: “It’s a such an honour to be recognised for the Climate Train and this initiative exemplified true collaboration between international rail operators. It showed that Avanti West Coast, like the wider rail industry, is committed to cleaner, greener transport for all.”

 

You can find the full press release here.

 
 
Community project to create wildflower haven for bees in Wigan
 
 

Avanti West Coast is supporting a community project in Wigan to transform redundant railway land into a bee-friendly space.


Avanti West Coast is supporting a community project in Wigan to transform redundant railway land into a bee-friendly space.

 

Green-fingered volunteers from Avanti West Coast, Network Rail, South East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership (CRP), and the local area recently teamed up to begin work to create a wildflower meadow next to the West Coast Main Line.

 

Their efforts to plant seeds mark the start of the Wigan Meadow Project – an initiative, funded through Avanti West Coast’s Community Rail Project Fund, to brighten up a bare spot of land to make it a haven for bees. 

 

An idea of South East Lancashire CRP, the project aims to help the region’s bee population, which is in decline due to loss of habitat, by creating a friendly space for bees with pollinator plants. It also aims to support the local production of honey with beehives.

 

You can find the full press release here.

 
 
Newly resurfaced platforms at Carlisle bring smoother and safer journeys
 
 

Rail passengers can now experience smoother journeys at Carlisle station, following the completion of platform resurfacing works by Network Rail.


Rail passengers can now experience smoother journeys at Carlisle station, following the completion of platform resurfacing works by Network Rail.

 

The investment of £6.5m in platforms one, two, and three will make journeys smoother, safer and easier for rail users. Various improvements have been delivered as part of the resurfacing works – the surface of the platform is now completely level, drainage has improved, and the gap between the platform edge and trains has reduced. New ‘tactile’ paving has also been installed on the platform edges to improve accessibility for passengers with visual impairments.

 

This major investment to resurface the platforms and bring them up to 21st century standards is part of Network Rail’s Great North Rail Project – a programme of improvements to transform train travel for customers in the North of England.

 

John Stevenson, MP for Carlisle, said: “I am delighted to see the results of investment into platforms at Carlisle station. The need for tactile surfacing was one of the issues I lobbied for, so it is wonderful to see the platforms brought up to modern standards and fit for all users.”

 

You can find the full press release here.

 

 
 
Spectator Podcast & Accelerate Rail conference
 
 

Caroline Donaldson, Managing Director of West Coast Partnership Development, took part in a Spectator Podcast, and Avanti West Coast Managing Director, Phil Whittingham spoke at the Accelerate Rail Conference. 


In March, Caroline Donaldson, Managing Director of West Coast Partnership Development,  took part in a Spectator Podcast to share her expertise on how we can continue to improve Britain’s railways. Along with transport commentator Christian Wolmar and Rail Minister Wendy Morton, Caroline talked about the future of British Railways, and meeting the demands of passengers.

 

The conversation covered a range of issues, including how we collaborate to make a success of the historic investment in HS2, and the challenges and opportunities of Government reform post-Covid. To date, it has achieved over 20,000 listens across social media platforms.

 

You can listen to the podcast here.

 

Also in March, Avanti West Coast Managing Director, Phil Whittingham spoke at the Accelerate Rail Conference, on a panel to discuss the new Great British Railways and how the industry can come together under the new structure.

 

Phil spoke alongside spoke alongside Andrew Haines (Chief Executive, Network Rail and Great British Railways Transitions Team), John Larkinson (Director of Office Rail and Road), Claire Mann (Managing Director, South Western Railway), Andy Bagnall (Director General, Rail Delivery Group), and John Abel (Technical Director, Office of the CTO, Google Cloud).

 
 
New feature gives customers seat selection choice
 
 

Avanti West Coast has introduced a new feature on its app giving customers the choice to select their ideal seat for their journey when booking tickets. 


Avanti West Coast has introduced a new feature on its app giving customers the choice to select their ideal seat for their journey when booking tickets. 

 

‘Seat Picker’ – a new feature available on the train operator’s app – allows customers booking journeys for the intercity operator’s services to choose where they want to sit onboard. It follows the roll out of Seat Picker on Avanti West Coast’s website and mobile website.

 

The upgrade is designed to help customers tailor reservations to the needs of their journey and secure their ideal seat – improving on the previous experience where preferences, such as a window seat or plug socket, could be selected but were not guaranteed. The improvements also make it possible to view how many seats have already been booked on a selected train on a digital layout of the carriage.

 

You can find the full press release here.

 
 
First train operator to be recognised for accessible website
 
 

Shaw Trust Web Accreditation recognises Avanti's website as accessible to people with disabilities.


In December, Avanti West Coast became the first train operator to be awarded Shaw Trust Web Accreditation which recognises its web content is accessible to people with disabilities.

 

Working alongside Shaw Trust Accessibility Services, Avanti West Coast made updates and changes to content on its website to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which is an international standard. 

 

An assessment by the charitable enterprise’s digital auditors, as well as a series of automated and human tests by users with a disability identified what design and coding (what defines content structure on the front-end of a website) changes were required to meet these standards.

 

To address the requirements to obtain the accreditation, coding was changed to ensure content is accessible to keyboard only users and assistive technologies, including screen readers. In addition, changes were made to the design of webpages to provide sufficient colour contrast between text and background for visually impaired users. 

 

The accreditation follows the launch of Avanti West Coast’s dedicated social media forum earlier this year to create an interactive online community for disabled customers travelling on its route.

 

You can find the full press release here.

 
 
 
Support for Ukraine
 
 

Avanti West Coast provides support to Ukrainian arrivals, and the organisers of the Concert for Ukraine with travel facilities to and from the event. 


Avanti West Coast, along with other train operators are working together to provide support to Ukrainian arrivals by offering free onward travel to their final destinations in Britain.

 

To make sure the scheme is as simple as possible the Rail Delivery Group has worked across the industry and Government so that:

  • Ukrainian arrivals who have entered the UK will be able to travel for free on the national rail network by showing their Ukrainian passport and a boarding pass or ticket showing arrival into the UK
  • They will have 48 hours from arrival in the UK to complete their journey; and
  • The scheme applies to all train operators in Great Britain, and many bus and coach operators are also offering free onward travel to final destinations.

Phil Whittingham, Managing Director of Avanti West Coast, said: "The ongoing situation in Ukraine is heart breaking and many colleagues asked if we can support those refugees as they arrive in the UK by assisting them in some way to get to their destination. I am proud that we are part of this industry wide initiative which will give much needed help to those arriving here."

 

You can find the full press release here.

 

Alongside, Avanti West Coast joined forces with London Northwestern to provide the organisers of the Concert for Ukraine with travel facilities to and from the event at the NEC. The televised concert helped raise over £13m for the humanitarian appeal for those affected.

 
 
Donating hundreds of books to schools for World Book Day
 
 

Avanti West Coast teamed up with a children’s book company to donate hundreds of titles to primary schools across its network. 


In March, Avanti West Coast teamed up with a children’s book company to donate hundreds of titles to primary schools across its network to help improve reading skills, supporting Little Box of Books to provide a diverse and inclusive selection of literature to schools to encourage and celebrate the joy of reading.

 

As part of World Book Day, boxes containing 100 storybooks were delivered to 11 schools across the West Coast Main Line route including Lancaster, Runcorn, Manchester, Crewe, Liverpool, Macclesfield, Stockport and Penrith.

 

The support for the initiative is part a wider strategy adopted by Avanti West Coast aimed at children and young people which includes a schools engagement programme about careers in rail.

 

Founder and Director of Little Box of Books, Lynsey Pollard, said: “Reading is the most crucial skill for all children. Little Box of Books is on a mission to get more inclusive books into as many primary schools as we can and we’re so grateful for Avanti West Coast’s support.”

 

You can find the full press release here.