A new study has revealed the most ‘unreliable’ train operators in Britain, and it’s pretty grim reading for us northerners.
That’s because, in what likely doesn’t come as that much of a shock to the millions of people who regularly travel by train across the country, Avanti West Coast has claimed the not-so-coveted top spot on the list compiled by travel deal site Tripplo.
We all know that public transport can be tricky to rely on, right?
Image: Avanti
But, in a bid to find out which train companies are considered to be the most unreliable of them all, the Tripplo team analysed data from the Office of Rail and Road between January 2021 and September 2023 to find the percentage of train journeys that were either cancelled, or delayed by 15 minutes or more, from different rail operators.
Coming out on top was Avanti, as it was found to have a massive 15.36% of its trains cancelled or delayed on average between the analysed time frame, and that works out to just over one in six trains not arriving when expected.
Image: Avanti
These delays amounted to a staggering 1,289,833 minutes of delays, or in other words, passengers using Avanti services lost a total of 895 days of journey time because of delays.
The other North West representative on the list is TransPennine Express, which claimed seventh place within the top 10, and had an average of 9.29% of its services cancelled or delayed within the analysed timeframe.
Other train operators appearing in the top 10 include Hull Trains, London North East Railway (LNER), Cross Country Rail, and Grand Central Rail.
Image: Network Rail
Avanti being crowned Britain’s most unreliable comes after it was controversially awarded a long-term contract to operate the West Coast Main Line back in September of last year.
Before this, the company had previously been given until 1 April 2023 to continue running the route from London to Glasgow, but had been told that it needed to “drastically improve” its services if it was to stand any chance of having the contract extended further beyond that date, due to its chaotic past since taking over from Virgin in December 2019.
Despite many customers continuing to voice discontent with level of services during this time, the Department for Transport (DfT) still went on to award Avanti another six-month contract extension from the start of April onwards, after it deemed “significant improvements had been made since October”.
Following DfT reviews, once again, Avanti’s long-term contract to operate the line was subsequently awarded in mid-September 2023.
EasyJet has announced a new scheme where the airline will cover the cost of a baby’s first passport, allowing young families to take those memorable first holidays.
The company has announced that it will pay for a child’s passport (£66.50) when parents book an EasyJet holiday, making it a little easier to start those travel adventures sooner.
Research conducted by the airline and easyJet Holidays has found that 75% of parents agree the move would make a holiday with a baby feel a bit more affordable.
Their surveys also found that four in five parents believe a baby’s first holiday is a landmark family moment, and more than half called it one of their proudest parenting milestones.
But parents also said that they needed an average of four attempts to get an approved passport photo of their baby (have you tried making a newborn follow instructions…?).
easyJet holidays has reported – even this early in the year – a 10% increase in infants travelling this year compared to 2025.
And now, the thought of a holiday with your newborn is more tempting than ever, with the offer to get a free passport for your baby from easyJet.
To claim it, and save £66.50, you can use the code FIRSTPASSPORT until 26 November – find out more HERE.
easyJet Captain Kate West, said: “We carry millions of families across Europe every year, and we know that travelling with a baby brings a whole series of exciting firsts.
“We want to make travel as easy and accessible as possible for everyone, including young families, so they can enjoy all the experiences and memories that travel can bring.
“We hope that covering the cost of a baby’s first passport goes a small way towards making that first family adventure a little easier and gives our youngest travellers a warm welcome to the world.”
Stuart Wright, Customer Director at easyJet holidays, said: “Travel has a unique way of bringing families together, and a baby’s very first holiday is often one of those moments parents remember for years to come.
“By covering the cost of a baby’s first passport, we’re helping more families start making those memories that little bit sooner.”
Leeds City Council granted £1.6m to tackle rough sleeping by Christmas
Clementine Hall
A £1.6m grant has been given by the government to Leeds City Council to help tackle rough sleeping.
The funding has been allocated to Leeds City Council as part of the Government’s national Rough Sleeping Programme.
The overall target is to help rough sleepovers off the streets by Christmas through providing safe accommodation.
The council have said that voluntary organisations and charities will be able to help them reach this target.
The council report said: "This funding will be used for immediate interventions to ensure all those rough sleeping have an offer of accommodation by Christmas and support longer term sustainment of accommodation.
“The initial target is to provide a suitable offer of accommodation for everyone who is rough sleeping by Christmas 2026.
“Providing a path into supported accommodation and independent living is the key objective and sustaining this independent living with, where necessary, ongoing support to prevent any return to rough sleeping and homelessness.”
The government announcement spoke of the scheme: "The programme is intended to support people experiencing rough sleeping.
"People experiencing rough sleeping may have differing entitlements to housing and support depending on their individual circumstances, including their immigration status and eligibility for public funds."
The funding is intended to help provide immediate support for people currently sleeping on the streets, while also helping them access longer-term accommodation and the support needed to maintain independent living.
By working with local charities and voluntary organisations, the council hopes to ensure people are not only offered a place to stay but are also given the help they need to avoid returning to the streets.
Emily Sergeant -
8th April 2024 
