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A train service that carries commuters from Manchester to London is set to run empty for approximately a five-month period due to a decision by the rail regulator.

A ruling by the rail regulatory body implies the 07:00 GMT service run by Avanti West Coast from Manchester's main station to the capital will still operate but will only be used to transport staff from the middle of December.

An operator spokesperson stated they were "let down" with the outcome, which would "definitely affect those passengers who regularly take these trains".

An ORR official explained the decision was based on "solid data" from the infrastructure manager to prevent possible service disruption on the West Coast Main Line.

Network Rail did not provide a statement.

Specifics of the Service Changes

The fast service, which arrives in London in under two hours, will still depart from Manchester station at 07:00 on weekday mornings, but will not be available to commuters.

It will, instead, ferry Avanti staff from Manchester to London when the new timetable takes effect on December 15th.

The decision means the train could run for over a hundred journeys without paying passengers on board.

An operator spokesperson clarified they were disappointed with the regulator's decision not to approve access rights from the winter period for several daily trains they presently run, including the 7:00 AM express train from Manchester to London.

The regulatory body also required a Sunday service which currently runs from Holyhead to London to end at Crewe station, they added.

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

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

The spokesperson confirmed that the services being withdrawn were:

• 07:00 GMT: Manchester station to London Euston (Weekdays)
• 12:52 GMT: Blackpool station – London Euston (Monday to Friday)
• 9:39 AM GMT: Euston station – Blackpool station (Weekdays)
• 7:32 PM GMT: Chester – London Euston (Weekdays)
• 5:53 PM GMT: Holyhead – London Euston ends at Crewe (Sunday)

Regulatory Reasoning

An ORR official stated: "Our decision on the London-Manchester train was grounded in comprehensive data provided by Network Rail that introducing trains within 'buffer' slots on the West Coast Main Line would have a negative effect on reliability.

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

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

The regulator indicated Avanti was earlier granted the permission to operate this service from spring 2025 for the period of a single schedule cycle exclusively.

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

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