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A train service transporting commuters from Manchester to London is scheduled to operate without passengers for around a five-month period following a decision by the railway oversight authority.

A ruling by the rail regulatory body means 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 only be used to carry staff from mid-December.

An operator representative stated they were "disappointed" with the decision, which would "definitely affect those customers who already use these trains".

An ORR official explained the decision was based on "robust evidence" from the infrastructure manager to guard against potential service disruption on the West Coast Main Line.

The infrastructure company did not provide a statement.

Details of the Operational Adjustments

The express train, which reaches London in under two hours, will still depart from Manchester station at 07:00 on four weekdays, but will not be available to commuters.

It will, instead, ferry company employees from Manchester to London when the updated schedule takes effect on 15 December.

The ruling means the train could run for more than 100 trips without fare-paying customers on board.

An Avanti West Coast representative clarified they were displeased with the ORR's determination not to grant operational permissions from December for several daily trains they presently run, such as the 7:00 AM express train from London from Manchester.

The regulatory body also required a weekend train which currently runs from Holyhead to London to end at Crewe station, they noted.

"This will significantly affect those passengers who currently rely on these services," they said.

"However, we will continue to provide even more trains across our network from the start of the December timetable, featuring more extra trains on our Liverpool line."

The representative verified that the services being removed were:

• 7:00 AM GMT: Manchester Piccadilly to Euston station (Weekdays)
• 12:52 GMT: Blackpool station – Euston station (Weekdays)
• 09:39 GMT: London Euston – Blackpool North (Monday to Friday)
• 19:32 GMT: Chester – Euston station (Weekdays)
• 17:53 GMT: Holyhead – Euston station ends at Crewe station (Sunday)

Oversight Rationale

An regulatory official stated: "Our decision on the Manchester-London service was based on comprehensive data submitted by the infrastructure operator that adding services within 'firebreak' slots on the main rail line would have a negative effect on performance.

"We identified that this service would operate within one of those time slots. If Avanti runs the train as empty coaching stock (ECS), ECS can be run more flexibly (held back or re-routed) than a booked passenger service.

"This can assist with performance management and service recovery during disruption."

The ORR indicated the operator was previously given the permission to operate this train from spring 2025 for the period of one timetable period exclusively.

This was on the basis that First Lumo's Stirling services were not operating at the time but the those trains are anticipated to start operating during the winter 2025 timetable period.

The ORR added that under the updated schedule, additional independent train services, operated by First Lumo to Stirling, were scheduled to commence.