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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Shaun Wilson

Avanti to run Manchester to London morning commuter train without passengers after watchdog refuses to let them sell tickets for it

A peak-time commuter train from Manchester to London will run with no passengers on board after the rail watchdog blocked ticket sales for the service.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has barred Avanti West Coast from selling seats on the 7am weekday service from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston, meaning the train will operate each morning carrying only staff. The unusual arrangement will come into force when the new timetable begins on December 15, with around 100 empty two-hour journeys expected over five months, the BBC reports.

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