A new documentary released this week on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds recreates the drama of the “Euston dash” for the first off-peak train from London to Manchester (at 6.53pm weekdays for timetable fans) as part of its investigation into the current state of the UK’s struggling inter-city rail services.
Presenter Johnny I’Anson – who is based in the North but frequently travels to the capital for work – hears reflections from passengers on the Avanti West Coast London to Manchester service, which is infamous for its poor performance and sees around one in 15 trains cancelled, for the show.
I’Anson meets those who travel regularly on this important route, finds out what might lie behind some cancellations and delays, and what can be done to improve journeys for the millions who use it each year.
Regular users may be pleased to learn that the service has been improving in recent months, albeit from a rather low bar – it remains the least pnctual operator in the country.
Board members at Transport for the North voted earlier this year that Avanti should be stripped of the contract to operate the route “at the earliest opportunity,” while I’Anson also hears from Clare Hayward, chair of the Northern Powerhouse 11, who estimates that a more efficient rail service could add £118bn to the North’s economy. The government last year awarded Avanti a nine-year extension for the route.
Off-Peak Performance is on Radio 4 at 4pm today, and available on demand on the BBC Sounds website and app.
