Avanti West Coast MD steps down after cutting schedules

The boss of UK practice operator Avanti West Coast has stepped down, simply weeks after the corporate drew criticism for reducing again its schedule.

Managing director Phil Whittingham has introduced that he’ll depart his function at Avanti from 15 September to “pursue different govt management alternatives”.

Whittingham’s departure comes simply weeks after Avanti West Coast cut the number of services from London to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham.

This discount in Avanti’s schedule on these key routes was initially deliberate for 4 weeks between 14 August and 11 September, however it has now been prolonged “till additional discover”. 

The operator stated the choice had been made because of the “present industrial relations local weather which has resulted in extreme employees shortages”.

Avanti’s transfer has been extensively criticised, with Clive Wratten, CEO of the Enterprise Journey Affiliation, saying it might “create important harm” for enterprise travellers. 

Following Whittingham’s resignation, Steve Montgomery, managing director of mum or dad firm First Rail will present “govt management help” to Avanti’s group “within the rapid future”.

“Having led the group via the challenges introduced by the pandemic over the past two years and into the restoration interval, Phil leaves with the group prepared for the challenges in delivering the long run service necessities,” stated Montgomery.

Avanti stated that the choice to scale back its timetable “was not taken frivolously and we’re sorry for the large frustration and inconvenience this may trigger.”

The operator can be suspending ticket gross sales for journey between 14-18 September resulting from new strikes being held by the RMT and Aslef unions later this month. 

The RMT is holding nationwide rail strikes on 15 and 17 September in its ongoing dispute over pay and jobs; practice drivers’ union Aslef can even take industrial action on 15 September, which is able to have an effect on 12 practice operators, together with Avanti West Coast, in its personal separate pay dispute.