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A train service transporting daily travelers from Manchester to London is scheduled to operate without passengers for approximately a five-month period following a determination by the rail regulator.

A verdict by the rail regulatory body implies the 7:00 AM GMT train operated by Avanti West Coast from Manchester's main station to the capital will continue to run but will exclusively serve to carry employees from the middle of December.

An operator representative stated they were "let down" with the outcome, which would "definitely affect those customers who already use these services".

An ORR spokesperson explained the judgment was founded on "solid data" from Network Rail to prevent potential operational issues on the key rail corridor.

The infrastructure company did not provide a statement.

Specifics of the Service Changes

The express train, which reaches the capital in less than 120 minutes, will continue to leave from Manchester Piccadilly at 07:00 on weekday mornings, but will not open to commuters.

It will, alternatively, transport company employees from Manchester to London when the new timetable takes effect on 15 December.

The decision implies the train could operate for more than 100 journeys without paying passengers on the train.

An Avanti West Coast spokesperson confirmed they were displeased with the regulator's decision not to approve access rights from December for four weekday services they currently operated, such as the 07:00 fast service from London from Manchester.

The regulatory body also mandated a weekend train which presently operates from London from Holyhead to terminate at Crewe, they added.

"It will significantly affect those customers who already use these trains," they stated.

"However, we will still be delivering additional services across our route system from the start of the winter schedule, featuring further additional trains on our Liverpool route."

The representative verified that the trains being removed were:

• 7:00 AM GMT: Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston (Monday to Friday)
• 12:52 PM GMT: Blackpool station – London Euston (Monday to Friday)
• 9:39 AM GMT: London Euston – Blackpool North (Monday to Friday)
• 19:32 GMT: Chester station – Euston station (Monday to Friday)
• 5:53 PM GMT: Holyhead – London Euston terminates at Crewe station (Sunday)

Oversight Reasoning

An regulatory spokesperson explained: "Our ruling on the Manchester-London service was grounded in robust evidence provided by the infrastructure operator that introducing trains within 'firebreak' paths on the West Coast Main Line would have a negative effect on performance.

"It was determined that this service would run in one of those paths. If Avanti runs the service as unoccupied train cars (ECS), ECS can be run more flexibly (held back or re-routed) than a scheduled public train.

"This helps with performance management and service recovery during disruption."

The regulator indicated the operator was previously given the permission to run this train from May 2025 for the duration of a single schedule cycle exclusively.

This was on the basis that First Lumo's Scottish trains were not operating at the moment but the First Lumo services are expected to begin running during the winter 2025 schedule update.

The ORR added that under the new timetable, new open access rail operations, run by First Lumo to Stirling, were due to start.