Work gets under way on new rail station
WORK has begun this week on the construction of a new railway station at Maghull North, on the Merseyrail line between Liverpool and Ormskirk.
The new station will be just off School Lane, next to the former Ashworth Hospital site, between the existing Maghull and Town Green stations on the Ormskirk branch of Merseyrail’s Northern Line.
It is expected to open in May next year.
The station is a key piece of infrastructure in the Sefton Local Plan, supporting demand from a neighbouring new housing development which will include 370 homes, with more homes planned for the area in the near future.
It will also offer relief for the existing station in the town.
Facilities at the new station will include:
Staffed station building and ticket office with passenger toilet.
Passenger waiting facilities on the platforms.
Step-free access with lifts and a bridge to, from and between both platforms and the station building.
156-space car park with blue badge, motorcycle parking and cycle storage.
Pedestrian and cycle routes from School Lane and Park Lane to the station and bus stops on School Lane.
Future provision for electric vehicle charging points.
The £13m scheme is being funded through the Government’s Local Growth Fund (LGF), Merseytravel and the Homes and Communities Association, which previously owned the land on which the station will be built.
It will form part of the wider £340m investment by Network Rail and the Liverpool city region in rail improvements over the next three years.
Network Rail is undertaking the scheme on behalf of Merseytravel, using the contractor Buckingham Group.
Initial work has begun on clearing the vegetation on the existing railway cutting to allow construction work to begin.
Network Rail requires two weekend “possessions”, which will see the closure of the railway between Maghull and Ormskirk on the weekends of October 27-28 and November 4-5.
A rail replacement bus service will be in place during this period.
A further possession will be required towards the end of the year, with full details to be confirmed nearer the time.
More details on the scheme can be found on the Merseytravel website at www.merseytravel.gov. uk/MaghullNorth.
Cllr Liam Robinson, chair of Merseytravel said: “The start of work on the new Maghull North station is fantastic news for the local area.
“The facilities at the new station will give local residents more travel options and play a big part in helping the ongoing development of Maghull. We look forward to seeing the facilities open next year.”
Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde, Merseyrail’s managing director, said: “The opening of another station on the network is testament to the surge in popularity of our railway, as an increasing number Liverpool city region residents become aware of how easy and convenient it is to travel on Merseyrail.”