CrossCountry will lease eight more Class 221 Voyagers from early next year. Six of the units have been cascaded from Avanti West Coast, and two have been released by Grand Central.

The transfers have been arranged by agreements between Arriva, the Department for Transport and rolling stock company Beacon.

CrossCountry managing director Shiona Rolfe said: ‘Our customers want a railway they can rely on, and these additional Voyager trains are an important step towards delivering that. They will give us greater flexibility and capacity across the network, helping us reduce crowding, improve reliability and support future timetable improvements. Together with our fleet refurbishment programme, this investment demonstrates our commitment to delivering the reliable railway our customers deserve and building a stronger CrossCountry for the future.’

Rail minister Lord Hendy added: ‘Once these extra trains are in service, it means more seats, less crowding and greater resilience for services between major towns and cities across Great Britain, from Edinburgh and Glasgow in the north to Southampton and Bournemouth in the south.

‘As we bring passenger services into public ownership through Great British Railways, we will bring track and train together to deliver the joined-up, reliable services, passengers deserve, supporting growth, jobs and homes up and down the country.’

CrossCountry is set to be renationalised in October next year.

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