Congleton's MP has welcomed the move to bring Avanti West Coast services into public ownership.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has officially announced plans to re-nationalise Britain's busiest train line at the expiry of its contract in March 2027.

Sarah Russell MP said: "I welcome the news that Avanti West Coast train services will transfer into public ownership in March 2027.

"This will allow a greater focus on putting passengers first, rather than profit. I know many residents rely on these services for journeys from Stoke and Crewe Stations.

"Ensuring reliability and meeting connecting services is really important for residents, and many have written to me about being stuck on delayed Avanti service at Stoke or Crewe stations and waiting almost an hour for the connecting service.

"This week I met with the Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, about the lack of Sunday services for Congleton and also how early those services stop running in the evening, especially on a Saturday. I will continue to lobby about this, and accessibility at Sandbach station.

"I am also delighted the Transport Secretary has said that when commissioning new trains, they will be more physically family friendly. This is something I had also pressed government for."

The nationalisation of Avanti West Coast will be supported by a dedicated improvement plan, the government announced on Monday, September 28.

This will aim to address the 'frequent disruption' that passengers have been experiencing, caused in large part due to infrastructures issues along the West Coast Main Line resulting from long-term underinvestment.

The government say that passengers can expect to see fewer delays and cancellations thanks to an extra £10 million boost for power and signaling maintenance, to be delivered by the end of 2027.

There are also plans to create 'faster and more reliable' services through changes to existing timetables, with a focus on routes in and out of Manchester.

These changes will start to come in from December 2026.

On top of this, the government is planning to deploy low earth orbit satellite technology to secure faster and more reliable WiFi and 5G coverage onboard.

Ms Alexander said: "For years, we've heard stories of Avanti underperforming, with passengers left paying the price. Enough is enough. That is why we will bring Avanti into public ownership at the earliest opportunity, in March next year.

"This Labour government is committed to putting essential services back in public hands, connecting people to opportunity and delivering growth in every postcode – and this move reflects that commitment.

"We will also introduce a comprehensive improvement plan, focused on delivering for passengers, not shareholders."