Business leaders want Sir Richard Branson to come to rescue after an investigation revealed over 20% of direct trains between North Wales and London get cancelled.
The North Wales Business Council is calling on the legendary entrepreneur to launch an “open access” rail path on the route operated by Avanti West Coast.
According to the Business Council, it would be a case of going back to the future because Sir Richard’s Virgin Group successfully ran the service for 20 years before the contract was awarded to Avanti in August 2019.
In the meantime the Business Council’s Chief Executive, Ashley Rogers, is also organising an emergency summit of the region’s politicians, company bosses and other stakeholders.
The move comes after it became clear the Avanti operation was “going from bad to worse”.
The campaign is being backed by some big names in the North Wales business community, including Sean Taylor, the founder and president of Zip World, who described it as a “third world service” that’s stifling the regional economy.
Among the others who hit out was Adam Williams, owner of Llandudno Pier, Tir Prince Raceway in Kinmel Bay and a string of holiday parks and amusement arcades.
Research by the Business Council showed the North Wales-London route has suffered more on the day cancellations than any other part of the Avanti network.
Between April and June the percentage of cancellations rose from 8.2% to 21.7%.
That’s six times as bad as the next worst Avanti route in the West Midlands which had a cancellation rate of 3.6% in June.
Mr Rogers said: “The fact that more than a fifth of the trains are cancelled on the day is staggeringly bad.
“It is totally unacceptable that North Wales is being cut off from reliable access to London on public transport because it is absolutely vital in terms of business, research and innovation and tourism.
“This is having a fundamental negative impact on how businesses operate and reducing our access to markets, hitting our competitiveness as a region, at a time when the economy badly needs growth
“We desperately need other operators to come in and provide a reliable service to London for North Wales, filling the ever widening gaps in the current services from Avanti
“With that in mind we are writing to Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and Welsh Government for help, potentially looking for new open access services to and from London.
“The Business Council will also look to organise an emergency summit with key business and political stakeholders, to drive support for a solution.”
The Virgin Group has already applied to the Office of Rail and Road for Open Access rail paths for four other services on the West Coast line.
If granted it would allow Virgin as a non-franchised train operator to run services on the rail network over and above the ones operated by current franchise holders like Avanti.
The Business Council is hoping to persuade Virgin to add the North Wales-London route to its wish list.
Sean Taylor said: “Myself and Zip World employees regularly use the Avanti service from Llandudno Junction to Euston service and we are faced with third world conditions which include cancelled or late services, a regular lack of food and beverage service and disgruntled employees.
“The service has caused me personal embarrassment through missed or late appointments – it’s a thoroughly unsatisfactory situation which is stifling the North Wales economy.”
Adam Williams added: “Frustratingly, it’s clear the train service provided by Avanti has been going downhill for some time. It’s shocking.
“We had a clear illustration of how bad things are a few months ago when we were operating at the ExCeL international exhibition centre in London – because the trains were so unreliable we had to drive the staff there and back at the shift changes.
“By having such a poor service we are sending out the message that people who want to come should drive here in their cars at a time when we should be wanting to take cars off the road.”
“It’s hugely important that the Business Council is banging the drum on our behalf and championing the call for improved rail services. Bring on Richard Branson.”
Celebrity chef Bryn Williams, who runs the award-winning Porth Eirias restaurant in Colwyn Bay and will be opening a new eaterie at the redeveloped Theatr Clwyd in Mold when it reopens, said: “Avanti West Coast are cancelling trains on a weekly basis which is totally unacceptable.
“North Wales deserves so much better and needs a regular and reliable service because that’s essential for the regional economy, whether that’s for the ordinary travelling public, business travel or visitors to the area.”
