[74] The Welsh government is pushing for improved rail connections between North Wales and Liverpool which may accelerate the electrification of the line,[75] and the scheme continues to be mentioned by Network Rail[69] and Merseytravel. This tunnel starts to the south of the station and rises to join the high-level tunnel. The remainder, between Paradise Street Junction and Derby Square Junction, was retained for use as a rolling stock interchange line between the Northern and Wirral lines and also for a reversing siding for Wirral Line trains terminating at James Street when the Loop Tunnel is inoperative. [82] The latest refresh of Merseytravel's Long Term Strategy puts the opening of the curves in Network Rail's CP7 period. The toilets are located on the Station Concourse. The reopened line passed under the West Coast Main Line Liverpool branch at Allerton but needed to cross the old Cheshire Lines Committee line to Manchester on the flat, which affected capacity. The closure of urban lines would create difficulty for large sections of the Merseyside population to access the one remaining mainline station at Liverpool Lime Street. The line provides direct access from the north and south of Liverpool to the shopping and business districts in the city centre via two underground stations, Liverpool Central and Moorfields, both of which also interchange with the Loop Line, which is an extension of the Wirral Line. There is drop off point on the Skelhorne Street side of the station. A section of the original 1880s tunnel between James Street and Central stations was used to form the Link Tunnel. Merseytravel are represented on a board led by Lancashire County Council which has developed a flowchart detailing how the scheme may be delivered. In the 1969 MALTS report, this section is referred to as the Tawd Vale branch. This is down from an initial 76: twelve 508s were transferred to Connex South Eastern in 1996, and a further three were transferred to Silverlink to supplement its fleet of Class 313 EMUs in North London. The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Long Term Rail Strategy document of October 2017, page 37, states: It was announced in December 2019 that Liverpool City Council had commissioned a feasibility study to see about reopening the Canada Dock Branch to passenger traffic.[90]. If realised Burscough Junction, Burscough Bridge, New Lane, Bescar Lane and Meols Cop stations may be incorporated into Merseyrail. Merseyrail is the name of the commuter rail network and train operating company which provides the majority of local rail services on Merseyside. The first successful bidder was Merseyrail Electrics (2002) Ltd, a joint venture between Serco and NedRailways (renamed Abellio in 2009).[34]. No trains were able to run into the station, so extra services were provided from the CLC Liverpool Central to Southport Lord Street to convey commuters. With Liverpool city having a semi-circular footprint with the city centre at the western fringe against the River Mersey, the western section of the loop would run through the city centre. [11], Typical weekday off-peak service on the Merseyrail-run Northern and Wirral lines is as follows:[16][17], City Line services are not operated by Merseyrail, but have timetables produced by Merseytravel and are included here for completeness.
PlusBus ticketing available for this location. The concept of using the former Cheshire Lines Committee's North Liverpool Extension Line[100] route through the eastern suburbs of Liverpool as the eastern section of a rapid-transit orbital route circling the outskirts of the city first emerged before the Second World War. Merseyrail is referred to as "Merseyrail Electrics" by National Rail Enquiries, and as "Serco/Abellio Merseyrail" by Merseytravel. [104] A feasibility study to reopen the Wapping Tunnel was commissioned and delivered in May 2016. Edge Hill, Wavertree Technology Park, Broad Green, Roby, Huyton, Whiston, Rainhill, Lea Green, St Helens Junction, Earlestown, Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Oxford Road. Edge Hill, Wavertree Technology Park, Broad Green, Roby, Huyton. Improvements to the trains included new high-backed seating, interior panel replacement, new lighting, the installation of a Passenger Information System and a new external livery.[19]. The Edge Hill Spur was not completed due to budget cuts. The rolling stock interchange section of the tunnel is not used for passenger traffic.[55]. The Loop and Link project was followed by a programme of expansion, electrification and new stations, which built on the greater integration and capacity provided by the new infrastructure.