Avanti West Coast
The Big Rail Diversity Challenge
Avanti West Coast, operator of intercity rail services on the West Coast Main Line, is a joint venture between FirstGroup and Trenitalia, delivering a cleaner, greener railway that drives the West Coast forward. Avanti West Coast serves key UK cities, including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow as well as North Wales.
We’re on a mission to be the transport of choice – connecting customers and communities along the West Coast. Our award-winning Pendolino refurbishment programme transformed the UK’s hardest working fleet with all 56 of the iconic trains providing best-in-class comfort.
Our Evero fleet, which offers more seats, improved comfort, and a substantial cut to carbon emissions, was introduced in June 2024 and is the result of a £350m investment in sustainable travel. Built by Hitachi, the 23-strong fleet, consisting of 10 seven-carriage electric trains and 13 five-carriage bi-modes, serves routes from London to the Midlands, Chester, North Wales and the North West.
We want to make a positive difference to the people and places we serve – helping to drive economic growth, green travel, and break down barriers. Our efforts to contribute to society and enable people to benefit from the opportunities rail offers through purpose-led initiatives including Feel Good Field Trips and award-winning female driver recruitment campaign has seen us create over £1billion in social value impact.
We’re tackling climate change wherever we can, from reducing energy and water use to training drivers in eco-driving techniques and sourcing food and drink from local suppliers. Our goal is to be net zero carbon by 2031. We’re on track.
"Avanti West Coast are proud to support Women in Rail as part of our wider commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. The rail industry has historically been male-dominated and we know that increasing female representation is essential to building a more inclusive, innovative and sustainable workforce that better reflects the communities it serves.
Supporting Women in Rail helps organisations attract and retain talented individuals, address industry skills shortages and create stronger leadership pipelines across all levels of the business. Diverse teams bring broader perspectives, improved problem-solving, and better decision-making, all of which contribute to organisational performance and culture.
We also recognise the importance of understand the nuances of our industry and our workforce to better understand the barriers that may impact women across our employee lifecycle and during their time working with us. This includes promoting inclusive recruitment practices, career development opportunities, mentoring, flexible working, educating our workforce and supportive workplace policies.
By actively supporting women in rail, we are committing to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued and able to thrive whilst also helping to inspire future generations of women to consider careers in rail, contributing to a more modern, more representative and more inclusive railway for the future."
