LOCAL MP CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION INTO AVANTI AFTER OXENHOLME STATION FARCE

Today, Westmorland MP Tim Farron has demanded an investigation into the failures of Avanti West Coast following chaos at Oxenholme station last night when passengers were left locked in.

The passengers were left locked in the station following the arrival of the delayed Avanti West Coast service from London Euston on the evening of the 16th of August 22. The situation occurred as a result of Avanti informing its staff that they were able to leave the station without taking action to enable passengers on the last, delayed train to leave the station safely. Speaking this morning, Tim called the situation an "unacceptable farce".

Some passengers took to climbing the 7 foot spiked gates and fences surrounding the station in order to get out. Additionally, there was the concern that passengers would be forced to cross the live tracks to find an alternative route out of the station.

Tim said: "This is just a further example of the failures by Avanti.

"We have seen a mass of cancellations of Avanti services, failures in the reservation systems, and now a locked station.

"There are clearly systematic failures going on at Avanti and we cannot let it go unchecked.

"Avanti have turned one of the best services in the country into one of the worst. What happened last night could have very quickly become dangerous and I have already written to Avanti to demand an explanation for their oversight.

"We must now ask the question whether Avanti are a fit and proper outfit to run a franchise. The department of transport should seriously consider removing the franchise from them"