Liverpool South Parkway Gains Direct London Trains Under Avanti Shake-Up
Avanti West Coast has rolled out its new December timetable, delivering a significant boost to rail services between Liverpool and London and strengthening connections across the wider West Coast Main Line.
At the heart of the update is an increase in frequency on the Liverpool route, with passengers now able to travel between Liverpool and the capital on up to two trains per hour for much of the day. The change is aimed at improving flexibility and choice for customers using one of the operator’s busiest intercity corridors.
For the first time, Liverpool South Parkway has been added as a regular calling point for Avanti West Coast services. The new stop provides a direct weekday and Saturday connection to London, with an hourly service calling at the station and around 170 Avanti trains scheduled to stop there each week. Journey times to the capital are just over two hours, opening up faster long-distance travel for communities across the Liverpool City Region.
Elsewhere on the network, the revised timetable introduces a new weekday return service linking Hartford in east Cheshire with London. Designed with business travellers in mind, the southbound service departs at 08:10, with an evening return leaving the capital at 18:43, offering sub-two-hour journey times in both directions.
The latest changes build on timetable uplifts introduced earlier this year in May and September. Together, the additional services provide more than 20,000 extra seats per week and take the total number of weekly Avanti West Coast services to a record 2,083 — the highest level ever operated on the West Coast Main Line.
Avanti says the service expansion has been enabled by the introduction of its new Evero fleet, representing a £350 million investment. The fleet includes 13 bi-mode Class 805 trains and 10 electric Class 807 units, allowing the operator to increase capacity and improve reliability across its network.
The addition of Liverpool South Parkway is also expected to benefit air travellers using Liverpool John Lennon Airport. The station offers frequent shuttle bus connections to the terminal, serving more than 60 destinations. Avanti’s Class 807 trains feature larger luggage racks and increased storage space, providing a more comfortable option for passengers travelling with bags.
Smaller communities along the route are also set to gain improved access to London. Additional Liverpool–London services will call at Tamworth and Lichfield Trent Valley, enhancing direct connectivity and building on improvements introduced earlier in the year.
Andy Mellors, Managing Director at Avanti West Coast, said:
“We’re delighted to be delivering on our promise to increase our services between Liverpool and London. The introduction of services at Liverpool South Parkway station and the new direct link to the capital will add a huge benefit to the wider region. The uplift in services means that we are now running more services than ever across the West Coast Main Line. We’re continuing to grow our timetable in a measured and sustainable way – maintaining the standards our customers rightly deserve.”
Local leaders have welcomed the expanded timetable, highlighting its potential economic and environmental benefits.
Cllr Steve Foulkes, Chair of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Transport Committee, said:
“The introduction of these additional Avanti West Coast services between Liverpool and London is fantastic news for our city region. Additional transport links to the capital can only have a positive effect on our city region economy and the addition of an hourly stop at Liverpool South Parkway means more of our residents will enjoy improved connections to intercity routes and the great opportunities that can bring. We’re really excited to see the contribution these services will make to our plans for a more sustainable transport network and how they will help to connect communities across the country.”
Image: Avanti West Coast