FirstGroup plc is a British multi-national transport group, which is based in Aberdeen in the north-east of Scotland. The company operates transport services in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

As of March 2026, Avanti West Coast is a joint venture owned by the British transport giant FirstGroup (70%) and the Italian state-owned railway operator Trenitalia (30%). However, the landscape of British rail is in the midst of a massive structural transition. Following the UK government's commitment to nationalize the railway system, Avanti's current contract is one of the last remaining private franchises. Under the 2024–2026 nationalization timeline, the "West Coast Partnership" is scheduled to be folded into the newly formed public body, Great British Railways (GBR). While the FirstGroup-Trenitalia consortium still manages the day-to-day operations and the iconic Pendolino fleet in early 2026, the strategic control has largely shifted toward the Department for Transport (DfT) as they prepare for the full handover. This change marks the end of the "franchising" era that began in the mid-1990s, with Avanti being among the final private holdouts before the entire West Coast Main Line returns to full public ownership and management later this decade.