Aslef says Avanti West Coast is ‘lying’ after firm blames service cuts on strikes

Avanti’s managing director, Phil Whittingham, told industry colleagues that cancellations were due to the ‘current industrial relations climate’. Photograph: Luciana Guerra/PA

The train drivers’ union Aslef has called Avanti West Coast “lying cheapskates” after the rail operator slashed its intercity timetables, blaming “unofficial strike action”.

Avanti, which runs services on the west coast mainline between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow, has suspended ticket sales and said it would run as few as four trains an hour from Sunday to try to cut the growing number of short-notice cancellations experienced in recent weeks.