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A train service transporting commuters from London from Manchester is scheduled to operate without passengers for approximately a five-month period following a decision by the rail regulator.

A ruling by the rail regulatory body means the 07:00 GMT train run by Avanti West Coast from Manchester Piccadilly to the capital will still operate but will only be used to transport employees starting the middle of December.

An Avanti West Coast spokesperson expressed they were "let down" with the decision, which would "definitely affect those passengers who already use these trains".

An regulatory official explained the decision was founded on "solid data" from the infrastructure manager to prevent possible operational issues on the West Coast Main Line.

The infrastructure company did not provide a statement.

Details of the Operational Adjustments

The fast service, which arrives in London in less than 120 minutes, will still depart from Manchester Piccadilly at 7:00 AM on weekday mornings, but will not open to commuters.

It will, alternatively, ferry company employees from Manchester to London when the updated schedule launches on 15 December.

The ruling implies the train could operate for over a hundred trips without paying passengers on the train.

An Avanti West Coast representative confirmed they were displeased with the regulator's determination not to approve access rights from December for several daily trains they currently operated, such as the 7:00 AM fast service from Manchester to London.

The ORR also mandated a Sunday service which presently operates from London from Holyhead to terminate at Crewe, they added.

"It will clearly impact those customers who already use these services," they said.

"Nonetheless, we will still be delivering even more trains across our route system from the beginning of the winter schedule, featuring further additional trains on our Liverpool route."

The spokesperson confirmed that the services being withdrawn were:

• 7:00 AM GMT: Manchester station to Euston station (Monday to Friday)
• 12:52 GMT: Blackpool station – London Euston (Weekdays)
• 9:39 AM GMT: London Euston – Blackpool station (Monday to Friday)
• 19:32 GMT: Chester station – London Euston (Weekdays)
• 5:53 PM GMT: Holyhead – Euston station terminates at Crewe (Sundays)

Regulatory Reasoning

An ORR official explained: "Our ruling on the Manchester-London service was based on comprehensive data provided by Network Rail that adding services within 'buffer' slots on the main rail line would have a detrimental impact on reliability.

"It was determined that this train would run in one of those paths. If Avanti runs the train as empty coaching stock (ECS), ECS can be run more flexibly (delayed or re-routed) than a scheduled public train.

"This can assist with service reliability and operational restoration during disruption."

The regulator indicated Avanti was earlier granted the right to operate this service from May 2025 for the period of a single schedule cycle only.

This was on the condition that another operator's Stirling services were not operating at the time but the First Lumo services are anticipated to start running during the December 2025 schedule update.

The ORR noted that under the new timetable, additional independent train services, operated by First Lumo to Stirling, were scheduled to commence.