- Author, Michael Race and Katy Austin
- Role, Business journalist and transport correspondent, BBC News
The boss of Avanti West Coast rail company has been “summoned” for talks with the new transport secretary over the company’s “unacceptable performance”.
Louise Haigh demanded “immediate action” at a meeting with her chief executive Andy Mellors on Tuesday after figures showed her passengers were facing some of the worst travel disruption in the country.
It was the first in a series of meetings with the worst performing rail companies, which also included rail operator Network Rail.
An Avanti spokesman said discussions between Mr Mellors and Labour’s transport secretary were “constructive”.
According to figures from the Office of Rail and Road, Avanti had the third worst reliability of any operator in Britain in the year to the end of March, with the equivalent of one in 15 trains (6.9%) cancelled.
The operator operates trains on the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Glasgow Central, with branches to Birmingham, North Wales, Liverpool, Manchester and Edinburgh.
His contract has a maximum duration of nine years, but can be terminated at any time after three years with three months’ notice.
The Department for Transport said the meetings were part of a “new concerted effort to bring tracks and trains closer together and hold both parties to account” and improve standards.
Transport Secretary Ms Haigh said she was “demanding immediate action to improve standards” at Avanti and Network Rail.
“With bold action to act quickly and fix the problems, we can ensure passengers get the service they deserve with the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation,” she added.
The government plans to nationalise almost all passenger rail services within five years, transferring passenger contracts, currently operated by private rail companies, to a new independent body, Great British Railways, when they expire.
Former Conservative transport secretary Mr Harper previously claimed Labor’s plans were “unfunded”.
An Avanti West Coast spokesman said at the meeting that its boss had highlighted “issues that are specific to us as well as those that affect the industry as a whole”.
“It was a constructive session and we look forward to further discussions on how we will deliver further improvements to the railways in the coming months,” a statement added.