22 December 2025
RMT Press Office:
Rail union RMT has called for FirstGroup-owned Avanti West Coast to be stripped of its remaining rail contracts and its operations returned to public ownership.
The demand comes following continued attacks on station and retail grades, with the company refusing to address serious staffing, safety and accessibility concerns.
Avanti has failed to fill long-standing station grade vacancies or retain staff on permanent contracts, while pushing through a de-staffing agenda that threatens passenger safety, accessibility and service quality.
These include unsafe single staffing of gatelines, ongoing uncertainty around ticket office staffing and opening times, and a sharp increase in disabled passenger assistance duties, placing additional strain on staff and raising clear safety concerns.
The union also has concerns about the wider impact of these decisions on disabled passengers and station accessibility.
The union will now step up its campaigning work, including engagement with Disabled People Against the Cuts and Transport Focus.
RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said:
“FirstGroup’s poor record running Avanti West Coast is characterised by unsafe staff shortages under a business model that puts cost-cutting and private profit ahead of safety, accessibility and decent long-term jobs.
“Our members are being stretched to breaking point, particularly as demands around disabled passenger assistance continue to rise without the staffing levels needed to do the job safely.
“FirstGroup has shown it is not fit to run a railway and Avanti West Coast should be taken out of its hands, stripped of its contract and returned to public ownership as soon as practically possible.”
ENDS
Want to receive updates from us? Subscribe to a mailing list
Tagged with: RMT, Eddie Dempsey, FirstGroup, Avanti West Coast
Related News
- RMT Action Against Assaults campaign at Scottish Parliament calls for new law
- DLR cleaners to strike and protest at TfL Board over ‘inhumane’ outsourcing
- RMT welcomes rail companies brought under GBR from Sunday
- RMT to hold Action Against Assaults event at Scottish Parliament
- DLR cleaners will strike alongside City Hall outsourcing protest on February 4
Latest News
- RMT Action Against Assaults campaign at Scottish Parliament calls for new law
- DLR cleaners to strike and protest at TfL Board over ‘inhumane’ outsourcing
- RMT welcomes rail companies brought under GBR from Sunday
- RMT to hold Action Against Assaults event at Scottish Parliament
- DLR cleaners will strike alongside City Hall outsourcing protest on February 4
Unity House
Tel: 020 7387 4771
Email: