Louise Haigh commenting on Avanti West Coast’s leaked presentation boasting about ‘free money’ from the taxpayer

Louise Haigh MP, Labour's Shadow Transport Secretary, commenting on Avanti West Coast’s leaked presentation boasting about ‘free money’ from the taxpayer, said:

“This failing operator is taking passengers and taxpayers for fools, while complacent ministers reward them for their failure.

“Given Avanti West Coast has been propped up with a taxpayer funded bailout of hundreds of millions, these sickening comments are a slap in the face.

“Ministers need to explain how their performance monitoring regime is so lax that one of the worst performing operators on the network can joke about taking free money from hard-pressed taxpayers.

“And after years of soaring delays and cancellations they need to explain when precisely they will stand up for passengers and strip Avanti of their contract.”