Plans to scrap the 7am Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston service have been abandoned, the rail regulator has confirmed.

The move would have prevented passengers from taking the morning Avanti West Coast train, turning it into a staff only service, effectively becoming a “ghost train”.

The Office for Rail and Road ( ORR ) first said the move was backed by strong evidence from Network Rail , which argued the train would need to run in a “firebreak” slot on the West Coast Main Line. Running it without passengers would make it easier to delay or reroute, helping improve overall performance on the line, the ORR said.

But the rail regulator has now decided against the timetable change, which was supposed to take effect in mid-December, after receiving feedback.

"We have taken a

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