Earlier this week, the Transport Secretary gave an update on the progress the Government is making on rail services for passengers, notably on the West Coast Mainline provided by Avanti. I know that many people (including myself!) experienced a pretty terrible service from Avanti for many months in the second half of last year.
This included cancellations, poor punctuality, a lack of customer information, an inability to book in advance, and crowded trains.
The experience has been better - but still not good enough - since a recruitment drive. Avanti have been given a short-term extension of six months: we need to see continued sustained improvement over that period before extending it any further.