Merseyrail services will be partially brought back at a Wirral train station after a disability campaign.
Bromborough Rake was one of two stations on the Chester Line to see its services reduced in order to speed up some trains and reduce delays. This meant some trains passed through the station instead of stopping.
This has now been partially reversed and from March 13, trains will stop at Bromborough Rake four times per hour going to Liverpool and two trains per hour to Chester and Ellesmere Port.
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The reduced services were brought in by Merseyrail in August 2022 but the decision was criticised by both Green councillor Jo Bird and Labour councillor Sue Percy in Bromborough.
Bromborough Rake is a wheelchair accessible station and disability campaigners urged Wirral Council to call on the Liverpool City Region and Merseyrail to reverse the decision, accusing Merseyrail of “direct and indirect discrimination.”
Kerry Rooney told councillors the reduced service made travel planning “an absolute nightmare far and above any planning that an able bodied passenger would have to make.”
A motion put forward by Cllr Jo Bird called on councillors to demand train services at both stations to be fully restored immediately. A petition had been signed by over 600 people.
This got support from councillors of all parties and Wirral’s council leader Janette Williamson wrote to Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheramto to ask for services to be reinstated.
Cllr Williamson said in the letter: “I am keen that the operator (Merseyrail) is made aware of the problems this is creating for local residents. Not only is the ‘skip-stopping' preventing a regular service for people wishing to travel to Chester or Liverpool for work or leisure, but people with mobility issues are particularly adversely affected.”
In the letter, Cllr Williamson said tight turnaround times between trains at Chester and new passenger travel habits after the pandemic were some of the reasons behind the reduced services.
Cllr Steve Foulkes, the Liverpool City Region’s Deputy Portfolio Holder for Transport and Air Quality, said: “We've listened to people's views and we know how important public transport is in our communities, so this is a positive announcement for those local passengers who rely on these rail services. Since the current arrangements were put in place, I'm pleased to say there has been some improvement in performance, supporting the decision to partly re-introduce these services.
“The roll out of the new fleet of class 777s continues and we’ve always stressed that new trains running on the Chester line would guarantee a return to regular service.
“With this in mind, Bromborough Rake and Green Lane will be kept under close review to see if further improvements can be made ahead of the new trains being introduced.
“More information about the roll out will be made available nearer the time so that people will know when to expect their new trains.”
Green Lane train station will continue to see a reduced service for the time being as train performances continue to be monitored until the new trains come in.
Cllr Jo Bird, who had been campaigning against the reduced services, said: “It is good that Merseyrail have accepted our argument that the timetable can be reinstated but it is disappointing that hasn’t happened at Green Lane. We do not want to have a two tier service in Wirral."
No date for new trains on the Wirral line has been confirmed.
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