Avanti West Coast to cut train services on West Coast Main Line via Milton Keynes

Rail company Avanti West Coast has announced plans to cut services on the West Coast Main Line via Milton Keynes.

Around one in seven trains operated by company on a typical weekday, or around 38 trains a day, will be cut by the operator for a six week period beginning 20 July 2026.

Services affected are those run on the West Coast Main Line through Milton Keynes Central, with the reduction coming on services linking London Euston with Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool.

The government’s Department for Transport confirmed they had accepted a request from the operator to cut services as a cost-cutting exercise, with the government having previously requested Avanti find a way to reduce spending.

In a statement shared with several national news websites, an Avanti West Coast spokesperson said, “From 20 July to 28 August, we will be operating an amended timetable between London and Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester on weekdays.

“To ensure minimal impact to those travelling between the affected dates, these changes will only affect routes on which we operate more than one train per hour, during typically less busy periods of the day – maximising alternative journey options.

“We’d like to encourage customers planning to make journeys during this time to plan ahead, and thank them for their understanding.”

In their own statement, the Department for Transport said, “The secretary of state has accepted Avanti’s short-term proposals to amend its weekday summer timetable, when passenger numbers are considerably lower and many trains run with large numbers of empty seats.

“This will save taxpayers’ money while still meeting passenger demand for seats.”

As part of the deal, services affected by the cancellation over the listed period are to be removed from train ticket booking websites.

The move comes as Avanti prepares to hand over operation of the Intercity West Coast franchise to the government’s Great British Railways state operator, which will take over the operation of the line in 2027 as per the nationalisation of the UK’s railway network.