Labour demands action over Avanti West Coast reduced train service

Transport secretary urged to press for restoration of full timetable or strip operator of contract after 12 cancellations on Monday

Labour has written to Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, urging him to take immediate action to ensure Avanti West Coast restores more frequent services on its busy intercity rail route, or else strip the train operator of its contract.

The rail firm, which runs trains between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow, cancelled another 12 services on Monday morning, on the first full day of an already drastically reduced emergency timetable.