Friday 20 Oct 2017
Final weekend of work as Lime Street upgrade continues
- Region & Route:
- | North West & Central
The first phase of Liverpool Lime Street’s major upgrade will be completed this weekend in time for the station fully reopening on Monday (23 October).
All lines in and out of the station will be closed on Saturday and Sunday as Network Rail completes the final upgrades as part of the station’s 23 day transformation.
Since work began on 30 September, as part of the Great North Rail Project, engineers have replaced almost 2,000m of track, redesigned and lengthened platforms and built two new ones (platforms 7 and 8) all of which will help provide passengers with more seats on more trains in and out of the city.
A modern signalling system - which will improve reliability and provide passengers with a better service - was installed during the first nine days of the work. This allowed trains to run in and out of platforms 1 and 2 for the majority of the upgrade.
Sean Hyland, Network Rail’s senior project manager, said: “This investment is about increasing capacity at the station and improving the reliability of the network, preparing for the predicted doubling of passengers during peak periods within the next 25 years.
“Our engineers have worked day and night over the last three weeks to complete vital upgrades at Lime Street. Although the enhancements may not be obvious, they will contribute to improved journeys in and out of the station as part of the biggest upgrade to Lime Street station since the 19th century.”
Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “I am pleased that this phase of the project has gone well as we enter into the final weekend of works. This is an important investment in our railway and we are all set to progress to the next stages of this project that will deliver far reaching benefits for the City Region.”
Frank Rogers, chief executive of Merseytravel said: “We are nearly there with the first phase of this important upgrade. The travel arrangements put in place have served customers well and it’s obvious that customers have responded positively and planned their journeys.”
Chris Nutton, major projects director at TransPennine Express, said on behalf of all operators using Liverpool Lime Street station: “We’re really pleased that the joint plan we’ve put in place has allowed our customers to keep connected with the City throughout these crucial works. We’re almost there, and ahead of the final weekend please make sure that you continue to check before you travel.”
Andy Heath, Merseyrail's deputy managing director, said: “Monday will see Merseyrail services return to normal after Network Rail's three-week programme of work to overhaul Lime Street mainline station.”
“While the upgrade was essential and we were pleased to play a role within it, we are happy to be returning to a full service on all lines, reinstating the usual frequent and comprehensive timetable for the benefit of all our customers.”
Further work over Christmas 2017 and summer 2018 will include further signalling upgrades – including re-control to Manchester Rail Operating Centre – widening, lengthening and remodelling of platform 6 and installation of overhead line equipment.
Once complete in 2018, the work will enable an extra three services per hour in and out of Lime Street station, including new direct services to Scotland. Longer, better managed platforms will allow bigger trains, with more space for passengers, in and out of the station. For more information on the Liverpool Lime Street upgrade visit www.networkrail.co.uk/lcr
Notes to Editors
Journeys via Liverpool South Parkway
Mainline services from destinations such as Manchester, London, Birmingham, Leeds, York and Crewe will start/terminate at Liverpool South Parkway, with the Merseyrail network taking passengers to/from Moorfields station in Liverpool City Centre.
Tickets will be valid on the Merseyrail network during the work so there is no need to purchase a separate ticket.
It is estimated that transferring onto the Merseyrail network should add only 10-15 minutes to your journey. There will be 4 trains per hour, Monday to Saturday, and 2-4 trains per hour on Sundays (depending on the time of travel).
Journeys via Hunts Cross
Services via stations between Warrington and Hunts Cross will start/terminate at Hunts Cross station. Passengers can choose between a quality express rail replacement bus service, non-stop between Hunts Cross and Moorfields station in the Liverpool City Centre or a stopping service calling at stations on the City Line (Liverpool South Parkway, West Allerton, Mossley Hill and Edge Hill) to/from Liverpool Lime Street.
The express rail replacement bus service will run every 15 minutes, Monday to Saturday, and every 30 minutes on Sunday. This will add, approximately, up to 18 minutes onto journeys (based on peak-time travel).
Stopping rail replacement bus services between Hunts Cross and Liverpool Lime Street will run every 30 minutes, Monday to Saturday, and every hour on Sunday. This will add, approximately, up to 22 minutes onto journeys.
Journeys via St Helens/Huyton
Between 30 September and 8 October, services between Manchester Victoria, Wigan, the Lakes, Scotland, Blackpool and Preston will start/terminate at St Helens Central or St Helens Junction. Quality rail replacement bus services will offer an express/limited stop service and a stopping service calling at all stations on both routes.
Express/limited stop services (calling at St Helens Central, Huyton and Liverpool Lime Street or St Helens Junction, Lea Green, Huyton, Wavertree Tech Park and Liverpool Lime Street) will run hourly on Monday to Saturday. Stopping services, calling at all stations, will run every 30 minutes, Monday to Saturday, and every hour on Sunday.
From 9 October until 20 October, limited rail services will run in and out of Liverpool Lime Street between 6am and 8pm. For services before 6am and after 8pm, quality rail replacement bus services will run between Huyton and Liverpool Lime Street.
On the final two days, 21 – 22 October, services will start/terminate at Huyton station with quality rail replacement bus services on hand to get you to/from Liverpool Lime Street. On Saturday they will run every 15 minutes and on Sunday every 30 minutes.
The rail replacement bus service calling at all stations between St Helens and Liverpool Lime Street will add, approximately, up to 60 minutes to your journey. Those travelling on the express/limited stop service will need to add approximately 35 minutes to their journey. From Huyton station, rail replacement bus services will add approximately up to 28 minutes to journeys (all based on peak-time travel).
Weekend work on the Ordsall Chord in Greater Manchester from now until 23 October will also mean there will be some changes to services in and out of Manchester Victoria. Passengers are advised to check www.nationalrail.co.uk before they travel.
For more information on the schemes that make up the £340m rail investment in the Liverpool City Region by the end of 2019 visit www.keepliverpoolmoving.com
Contact information
Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41
Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries
Journalists
Network Rail press office - North West & Central Region
0330 854 0100
NWCmediarelations@networkrail.co.uk
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