Merseyrail commuters are facing days of chaos as February comes to an end.
Earlier this month Merseyrail announced there would be significant disruption to its services at the end of February and beginning of March as work to prepare Liverpool Central station for a new fleet of Class 777 trains takes place.
The disruption will take place from tomorrow, Sunday February 26 until Wednesday, March 1 when Liverpool Central station will be closed to Northern line passengers, during which time there will be no services on the Hunts Cross line.
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The works will see track alterations made to accommodate eight-car trains at the city centre station, which are due to operate as the roll out continues.
For the work to be completed quickly and safely, Liverpool Central station will close to Northern line services from 10pm on Sunday February 26 until the end of service on Wednesday, March 1 (a period of four evenings and three days).
How individual routes will be affected
Hunts Cross line: The Liverpool Central station closure means the Hunts Cross line will not operate between those dates. A rail-replacement bus service will be in operation between Moorfields and Hunts Cross, calling at all stations on the Hunts Cross line.
Southport and Ormskirk line: From 10pm on Sunday 26 February until 8pm on Wednesday 1 March, Southport and Ormskirk line services will operate every 20 minutes and start/terminate at Moorfields. After 8pm services will operate every 30 minutes.
Kirkby line: From 10pm on Sunday 26 February until 8pm on Wednesday 1 March, Kirkby line services will operate every 20 minutes and start/terminate at Sandhills. After 8pm services will operate every 30 minutes and start/terminate at Moorfields.
From 8pm on Wednesday 1 March Southport, Ormskirk and Kirkby services will start and terminate at Sandhills. A rail replacement bus service will run between Sandhills and Hunts Cross.
All routes will reopen as normal for the start of services on Thursday 2 March. Wirral line services will not be affected.
Zoe Hands, Chief Operating Officer at Merseyrail said: “These planned works are a vital part of the modernisation of the Merseyrail network and will enable the continued roll out of the new Class 777 trains.
“We would like to apologise to our passengers for the disruption that is being caused and thank them for their patience while this essential work is being carried out.
“You can be assured that we do not take the decision to close Liverpool Central station to the Northern line lightly, and only after all other options have been exhausted. The work will finish as planned on Wednesday night, and all services will be fully operational on Thursday March 2.”
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