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Friday 27 Mar 2009

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE: MERSEYSIDE RAIL STRATEGY LAUNCHED

Region & Route:

National

Longer trains and extra services are signalled in a far reaching strategy published today to improve rail services in Merseyside.

The Merseyside route utilisation strategy (RUS) recommends ways to increase capacity on the Merseyside rail network to meet the continuing boom in passenger numbers - predicted to rise by 40% by 2020 - and sets out the rail industry’s preferred plan to meet this demand.

The strategy was drawn up by Network Rail in close cooperation with stakeholders including Merseyrail and other passenger and freight operators, Merseytravel, the Department for Transport and Passenger Focus, and its publication followed a three month public consultation.

Principal recommendations centre on longer trains to provide more seats for passengers, and improving links on key routes into Liverpool from Chester, North Wales, Southport, Ormskirk, Preston and Wigan.

At Liverpool Central, the RUS recommends that an immediate package of work should be carried out to improve the flow of passengers through the station, increasing overall capacity by up to a third.

If passenger numbers continue to increase as predicted, capacity will again become constrained by around 2020 and the RUS recommends that the rail industry should continue to work together with the government to develop further expansion options. These could include a new additional underground platform, or the construction of a new, bigger station.

Network Rail route director, Jo Kaye said: “The railway in Merseyside is the best performing on the network with high levels of punctuality and reliability, and the challenge is to find ways to accommodate passenger growth without compromising on performance.

“Since our draft strategy was published last November, we have listened to what stakeholders told us, and we thank them for their contributions to help develop our plans. I am confident we have something the whole rail industry, and everyone involved in it, can work towards over the next 10 years."

Councillor Mark Dowd, Chair of Merseytravel, said: “We welcome this commitment to our region’s railways. It’s important that investment is made so that we can build upon the overwhelming success of our rail network; particularly at major stations such as Liverpool Central where we are seeing passenger numbers rising spectacularly.

“We are pleased with the support we have had to get to this stage, particularly from Louise Ellman MP, and this is an important step in helping us all deliver the best possible rail services for the people of Merseyside. Now the hard work starts.”

Merseyrail’s managing director Bart Schmeink said: “I am pleased that the RUS recognises the immediate problems that we face because of our success. The plans for Liverpool Central will make a real difference to our passengers who at the moment have to put up with a below standard station. I believe the people of Merseyside deserve better. It is up to all of us in the industry to make it happen and make it happen quickly.”

The schemes recommended by the RUS include:

Liverpool Central

Detailed plans are being drawn up to increase capacity at Liverpool Central - the busiest station in the RUS area - to ease overcrowding.

The RUS recommends that an immediate package of investment should be carried out to increase platform capacity by 30%. The RUS sought feedback on longer-term options and recommends the following plan for the station:

2015 – 2020

More extensive upgrade work would be required, and the RUS recommends that further development is needed by the industry to draw up detailed options for a new underground platform or a new station. The RUS recommends this work should be completed in time for the Government’s High Level Output Specification in 2012.

Other recommendations

2009 – 2014

• Introduce more 6 car peak-time services
• Introduction of a new fleet of trains in 2014
• Increasing daytime services from Chester to Liverpool from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes matching peak-time frequencies
• Schemes to increase line speed to shorten journey times

2014 – 2019

• Longer trains on most routes
• Potential extensions to the Merseyrail network, such as a new route to Skelmersdale allowing through services to central Liverpool

The strategy will now be presented to the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR). The ORR has 60 days to consider this after which it will become an established strategy.

A copy of the Merseyside RUS can be found on the Network Rail website at www.networkrail.co.uk