The UK Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed that Avanti West Coast’s rail services on the West Coast Main Line will transfer to public ownership on 7 March 2027. The move follows the expiry of the current contract held by the First Trenitalia West Coast Rail joint venture, composed of FirstGroup holding 70% and Trenitalia UK 30%, which ends on 18 October 2026.
Passengers using the London to Scotland route have faced frequent disruptions for years, with performance consistently below the industry average. The DfT attributed most delays and cancellations to infrastructure failures resulting from chronic underinvestment in the West Coast
Main Line.
Nationalisation Plan and Infrastructure Improvements
Public ownership of Avanti West Coast will be supported by a dedicated improvement plan focused on basic infrastructure upgrades to reduce delays and enhance passenger experience. This nationalisation date is set at the earliest possible time after the contract’s end, with other transfers planned at roughly three-month intervals, including Great Western Railway’s public ownership takeover on 13 December 2026.
Official Responses and Union Perspectives
Andy Mellors, Managing Director of Avanti West Coast, highlighted achievements over the past six years such as refurbishing Pendolino trains, introducing Evero trains, and increasing service levels. Mellors stated the company will collaborate with the government over the coming
months to ensure a seamless transition into public ownership.
The RMT union, led by General Secretary Eddie Dempsey, demanded that outsourced workers including cleaning, gate line, security, and maintenance staff be brought directly into the operator’s workforce after nationalisation. The RMT cited inferior wages, pensions, and lack of sick pay among outsourced employees supplied by companies like Amulet (security), Carlisle Support Services (station cleaning), and OCS (train cleaning).
TSSA union General Secretary Maryam Eslamdoust called for nationalisation to deliver more reliable services, increased investment, improved safety, and secure jobs with protected pay and conditions for staff crucial to running the
West Coast Main Line.
Context Within UK Rail Public Ownership Strategy
Avanti West Coast will be the twelfth train operator to return to public ownership as part of the UK government’s plan to complete all rail franchise transfers by the end of 2027 ahead of establishing Great British Railways. The DfT noted that long-term underinvestment in infrastructure remains the biggest cause of disruption on one of the country’s busiest rail corridors.
