Media centre

Monday 11 May 2009

LOOP LINE WORK PROGRESSING WELL

Region & Route:

Work to renew the railway track under the city centre between Moorfields and Lime Street stations is on target and Network Rail expects services to return to normal after the Spring bank holiday.

Network Rail staff and contractors have been working round the clock since Easter on a £4.4m project to replace the solid concrete slab that the track is bolted to. Concrete is used to make sure there is absolutely no movement of the track because of the limited clearance between the trains and the tunnel walls.

This is the final phase of a £20m scheme to renew all the track on the curved sections in the loop and will help Merseyrail deliver an even better train service for its passengers.

Network Rail’s area manager Merseyside, Wayne Menzies, said: “We fully recognise the disruption that this work causes to passengers and are grateful for their patience. This is the fifth phase of work affecting people travelling on Wirral Line trains and I am pleased to be able to say that it will be the last for a number of years.”

Bart Schmeink, Merseyrail's managing director added: "I am delighted that the work on the Wirral loop line is all going to plan. I am sure that I speak for all our Wirral Line passengers when I say that the completion of this project can't come soon enough. The hard work of Network Rail engineers in a difficult underground environment will make a real difference in making Merseyrail even more reliable than it already is. I look forward to normal services resuming on 26 May."

James Street, Moorfields, Lime Street and Central stations will be fully open from start of service on Tuesday 26 May.