Avanti West Coast wins long-term contract despite history of delays

RMT union says operator is a ‘disaster’ as Arriva’s CrossCountry also secures extended deal

• Business live – latest updates

Avanti, one of Britain’s least reliable train operators, has been awarded a long-term contract to keep running intercity services on the West Coast main line.

The transport secretary, Mark Harper, declared Avanti “back on track” – although the regulator’s last full performance report showed it was the least punctual operator, with fewer than half of services running on time from April to June.