Avanti West Coast contract extension

That this House opposes the decision by the Department for Transport to grant the operator of the West Coast Main Line, Avanti West Coast, a six month contract extension; notes the importance of the line for millions of passengers such as those from the north of Wales and the north west of England who travel on it every year; is disappointed with the extremely poor service which Avanti has provided to passengers in recent years with cancellations, significant delays, overcrowding and high ticket prices now common which has resulted in many people traveling by car; further notes that Avanti paid out £11.5 million in dividends for the year 31 March 2021; and calls for the Government to remove the franchise from Avanti and to implement a publicly-run service that benefits both passengers and workers.