"Broken deeds and words": What Greater Manchester MPs are saying about under-fire train operator Avanti West Coast

Greater Manchester MPs have lined up in unison to slam under-fire Avanti West Coast - with one claiming the rail operator has 'broken its deed and its word' as they collectively called on the Government to strip the company of its contract.

Eight of our MPs spoke out in an impassioned Commons debate, during which transport minister Trudy Harrison accepted one train an hour from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly was 'completely unacceptable'.

The Department for Transport was also urged to 'come up with a proper plan to end this chaos so that the route is properly up and running again'. "Rail passengers deserve much better," added Stockport's Labour MP Navendu Mishra, who blamed the situation on Avanti's management as he criticised the company's business 'model' which he said depends on drivers agreeing to work their rest days for extra pay.

Graham Stringer, meanwhile, the MP for Blackley and Broughton, called Avanti a 'dreadful company' that 'should not continue with this franchise', going on to claim at the debate on Wednesday that passengers have been dropped off at 'unpersoned stations in an unsafe position'.

"The minister talks about partnership with Avanti," he said.

"May I suggest to her that, if she looks at it objectively, that partnership is not working, and the best thing she could do is plan to get out of it. She should sack Avanti, which is not only not running services to Manchester - it has cut those services by two third - but, when it eventually gets passengers on to its trains, drops them off at unpersoned stations in an unsafe position.

"This is not just about running services: Avanti is a dreadful company, and should not continue with this franchise."

Afzal Khan, Labour's Gorton MP, said ticket