Rail renewal will cause heavy commuter traffic
COMMUTERS from Halton travelling in the Liverpool City Region over the coming weeks are being advised to plan their journeys prior to rail renewal work.
The final phase of work to upgrade Wirral Loop Line will last for three weeks from Tuesday, May 30.
Merseytravel said that roadworks in Runcorn and Widnes impacting on traffic using the Silver Jubilee Bridge has led to an increase in vehicle delays and longer peak periods in the Mersey Tunnels.
A spokesman said: “This potentially puts the tunnels at risk of even greater congestion during the final phase of track renewal.
“Where possible don’t use the car, use public transport.
“Everyone who travels in the city region, either on the train, bus, ferry or in a car, is encouraged to plan their journey.”
Travellers from Runcorn and Widnes heading to the area are being advised to use public transport rather than their cars, to avoid travelling at peak times if possible, and to leave more time for journeys.
The first phase of work in the area took place over January and February ahead of the third stage due to begin on May 30.
Merseytravel chief executive Frank Rogers said: “The response of our city region travellers during these works, particularly in phase one, has been exceptional and we are asking for their support for this final leg of the investment journey.
“We can’t afford to be complacent for phase three so if people continue to follow the travel advice, as they have been doing, we will continue to monitor services and do everything we can to keep people moving.”
The work, which also supports a new set of Merseyrail trains on the network from the early 2020s, is part of a £340m investment in the Liverpool City Region’s rail network over the next three years.
Network Rail, Merseyrail and Merseytravel have been working over many months with local authorities, operators and other partners, to design a plan that balances the need to complete essential and complex work with the need to keep people moving and the city region ‘open for business’.
Network Rail project manager Martin Bell said: “We are now entering the third and final phase of the work to refurbish the track under the river bed.
“The work to renew the track on the Wirral loop is now complete.
“This final phase involves replacing traditional ballasted railway track that runs beneath the River Mersey that is getting a new lease of life.
“We thank passengers for their patience during this renewal programme and look forward to completing the project in June.”
Network Rail has been replacing the most challenging sections of concrete based track in the loop which was originally laid in the 1970s, while making the most of the opportunity to carry out other work, including replacing conventional track under the riverbed.
Merseyrail managing director Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde said: “Like phase one, these few weeks are likely to be disruptive, but there will be plenty of rail replacement buses in service.
“We ask passengers to bear with us before the Wirral line is once again running as normal.”
For more information visit www. merseyrail.org/trackrenewal ●