Tube-style plan for future of Merseyrail
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AMERSEYRAIL network map including stations in Runcorn and Widnes shows what the region could look like if it was massively expanded to match the Tube in London.
Wirral’s Kayla Bibby, who runs Facebook group Liverpool Underground, has a vision for a massively expanded rail network that would see new tunnels dug under Liverpool and a line built on top of a Mersey barrage.
She produced her first map two years ago but has since come up with more ideas for lines – including a Sergeant Pepper Line serving north Liverpool and the proposed Bramley-Moore Dock stadium.
Now she has updated her map, with other proposed services including a Metropolitan Line from Whiston and Stockbridge Village that would run under the Mersey and then split to serve Hoylake and Eastham.
By building new tunnels and linking them to existing ones, Kayla would create four underground lines – the Metropolitan and these three: ● A Central Line from New Brighton Tower to Halewood and Cronton via a new Mersey tunnel, James Street and Sefton Park. ● ● A District Line from Maghull to Netherley via Walton, Everton Brow, the new Paddington Village and Lark Lane. ● An Elizabeth Line (Lizzy Line) from Heswall to Windle Island via a city centre loop, with a branch to Kirkby.
Other notable lines include a Wallahoo Line from New Brighton Tower to Chester via Liscard, Wallasey and Hoylake.
And while the plans are very ambitious Kayla insists that, if money could be found, this supernetwork could be built in 30 years.
She said: “We need to start thinking like a capital city – all these world cities around the globe all have extensive underground networks.
“Everything is too London-centric in this country. London now boasts one of the best transport networks in the world.
“It’s time for central government to start committing to spending serious money on radically improving transport in the North instead of mothballing essential projects. ●
“It’s capital projects like Liverpool Underground that will make the Northern Powerhouse concept a success, not token gestures that won’t make any difference to the everyday lives of normal people. We need to slingshot our cities into prosperity.”
Kalya’s vision for the Mersey barrage would mean a road and a rail link built on top of the main structure with a country park above them, so people could also walk and cycle across.
Metro mayor Steve Rotheram has already proposed a barrage that could include a ‘light rail link’ on top. Kayla said she had been lobbying Merseytravel to buy some tunnel boring machines that cost £10m each.
She said: “This would increase our options and enable us to expand the existing underground network like never before with minimal disruption to daily life above.
“These TBMs, boring through favourable conditions, mostly sandstone, can crack on with constructing a new tube line at 100 metres a week.
“After a few years when said line is complete, they can be dismantled and moved to a new location to start the next line and so on.
“This cycle would continue over the next few decades until all four tube lines: The Central Line, District Line, Lizzy Line and Metropolitan Line are complete.”