Growth Track 360 calls on train operator Avanti West Coast to restore services

Business and local authority leaders from North Wales, the Wirral and Cheshire West and Chester in the Growth Track 360 partnership are seeking assurances that Avanti West Coast will be moving as quickly as possible to restore direct services to Chester and North Wales that run throughout the day.

Direct services were lost in the collapse of demand for rail travel arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite a restoration of two direct services a day between London Euston and Holyhead, there is concern at the slow pace of returning to the full-service pattern and the lack of consultation by the train operator with local stakeholders on both the original cessation and the post-Covid recovery of services.

Growth Track 360 Chair and Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, Councillor Louise Gittins, said: “We are asking Avanti West Coast to outline their plans to recover the high level of intercity rail services that our region enjoyed prior to Covid 19 and set out when we can see an increase in services from two direct trains a day. We also want a commitment to consult local authorities and other stakeholders in the region on their next set of timetable plans.”

Growth Track 360 Vice Chair and Leader of Flintshire Council, Councillor Ian Roberts, said: “Cheshire and North Wales benefited immensely from improvements provided towards the end of the Virgin franchise with an hourly direct train from Chester to London and services running to and from North Wales two-hourly. Direct links were thus provided to the university city of Bangor, the gateway port to Ireland at Holyhead and leading tourism destination Llandudno. There was also a train from Wrexham which joined at Chester and returned at night. Restoring these trains is very important to the credibility and marketability of our region to investors and tourists.”

1. Growth Track 360 is a public-private partnership established in 2016 uniting North Wales, the Wirral and Cheshire West and Chester. Its goal is improving cross-border transport connectivity with specific emphasis on rail.
2. Growth Track 360 works closely with key stakeholders, their policies and objectives including the Welsh Government, Transport for the North, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Mersey Dee Alliance, North Wales Economic Ambition Board, Transport for Wales, the West and Wales Transport Forum and the private sector.