Avanti bosses should ‘get back round the table’ to resolve strike, says minister

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Transport Secretary has urged Avanti West Coast to negotiate a solution to planned new year’s strikes as she defended the Government’s approach to industrial action. She told Sky News: “What I want to see happen is for the leadership of Avanti West Coast, which is currently a privately owned train operating company, to get back round the table with the RMT to see what can be done to avoid action happening.” Strikes planned for the Christmas period have already been called off. “The industrial action that may happen on Avanti West Coast is one train operating company. “I don’t want this strike to happen, nobody wants these strikes to happen, but it is not on the same scale as what we saw under the previous Conservative government.” She added that Avanti currently expected to run around a quarter of its West Coast services during the industrial action.