Green light for new trains boosts Skem rail hopes
THE approval of a new fleet of Merseyrail trains has strengthened the possibility of a Skelmersdale rail link.
The £460m project will come into action by 2020 and will be able to carry up to 60% more passengers, while retaining the same number of seats.
This will be achieved through the trains being longer, but also through more spacious areas around the doors and more open and wider aisles with plenty of handrails and grab poles for passengers at peak times.
The new trains have the capability to be converted to dual voltage operation.
This would allow them to operate beyond the Merseyrail network to places such as Skelmersdale which have long waited for their own railway link.
West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper said: “Merseytravel’s investment to upgrade its rolling stock with new, modern, stateof-the-art carriages to replace the existing 40-year-old units is fantastic news for local rail services.
“Improving the accessibility, capacity and quality of our transport services will be warmly welcomed by commuters.
“This investment is also integral to growing our regional economy as well.
“For West Lancashire, commuters on the Ormskirk line will benefit.’’
She added: “Looking to the future, this announcement is important for expanding services into Skelmersdale. This is the latest step towards delivering a railway station for Skelmersdale.
“We will have the train carriages capable of serving Skelmersdale. What we need next are the tracks to get them there, on which I am continuing to work hard to see delivered.
“Providing Skelmersdale with rail services will open up a world of economic and social opportunities for the town and its residents.”
Members of the public and the rail network union RMT have raised concerns about the axing of train guards and introduction of driver-only operations on the new trains.
A Merseytravel spokesperson said: “The new trains will be operated differently, with the driver – assisted by cameras along the length of the train – responsible for the opening and closing of the doors and the dispatch, rather than the guard.
“This mode of operation, driver-controlled operation, was put forward by all bidders in meeting the recommendations of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report into the fatal incident at James Street in 2011.
“While this method of dispatch doesn’t require a second person to operate the train, it is recognised that local people value onboard staff.
“As a result, new customer service roles, based in the train saloon, will be created.
“It will mean that staff are on hand to assist and advise passengers, targeted at key locations and times.”
Earlier in the year nearly £5m was invested to help develop the Skelmersdale railway project.