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U-turn over plan to run Manchester to London train without passengers
The Office of Rail and Road reversed the ban after public and political backlash, allowing the 7am weekday Manchester to London service to carry passengers again from mid-December.
- As the December 15 timetable approaches, the Office of Rail and Road reversed its plan to run the 07:00 GMT Avanti West Coast Manchester Piccadilly–London Euston service without passengers after public backlash and gave Network Rail and Avanti permission to continue carrying passengers.
- Citing reliability concerns, the Office of Rail and Road said running the 7am service with passengers could `harm the overall performance` of the West Coast Main Line and argued an empty train on a 'firebreak' path adds `flexibility` to aid disruption recovery.
- The weekday 07:00 service runs from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston, stops only at Stockport, and was planned to run empty except for Avanti staff, dubbed the `ghost train`.
- Regional politicians quickly condemned the plan, with Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, and Greater Manchester MPs writing to John Larkinson, ORR Chief Executive, while Rochdale MP Paul Waugh called the U-turn a win for common sense.
- The Office of Rail and Road confirmed the U-turn only relates to the 07:00 Manchester–Euston service, with four other services running without passengers later this month, and a Network Rail spokesperson welcomed the decision.
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Bizarre 'ghost train' plan derailed after backlash from passengers - The Mirror
Rail bosses have back tracked after passengers were in uproar over their plans to ditch a busy Manchester - London commuter service and run it as a 'ghost train' with only staff allowed on board
·London, United Kingdom
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources12
Leaning Left2Leaning Right1Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution63% Center
Bias Distribution
- 63% of the sources are Center
63% Center
L 25%
C 63%
12%
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