The first new Merseyrail trains will not begin running on the network before the end of 2022 as had been previously hoped.
The new fleet of state-of-the-art trains were first purchased for the Liverpool City Region back in 2016, but their roll-out has been delayed because of various factors including the pandemic and a long-running industrial dispute with the RMT union.
The new Class 777 trains have been regularly being tested on the network and it had been hoped the first services would begin to operate on the tracks and welcome passengers before the end of the year. Sadly, this will not now happen.
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A spokesperson for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, which purchased the fleet of trains from Swiss manufacturer Stadler, said everyone is "working around the clock" to get the trains onto the tracks as soon as possible but that "events beyond the control" of the authority meant this would now have to wait until 2023.
The spokesperson said: "The region's new trains will be the most accessible, sophisticated fleet in the country - and will be owned by the people of the Liverpool City Region. Everyone is working around the clock to get the trains on the tracks as soon as possible, however, events beyond the Combined Authority's control over the past few years, such as flooding at factories and the Covid-19 pandemic, have delayed the roll out. Despite these setbacks, we’re working to roll the new fleet out as quickly and safely as possible.
"Elsewhere on the train network, work remains on track to ready the network for the new fleet. Successful battery testing at the test track was completed earlier this month, which opens up the possibility of further expanding the network in the future as part of Mayor Rotheram's 'Merseyrail for All' pledge to connect underserved parts of the region to the Merseyrail network."
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram was asked about the situation on BBC Radio Merseyside today and expressed his frustration. He said: "My ambition has always been to get them on the tracks before the end of the year - issues like Brexit, the pandemic and other factors have put us behind schedule. If you want to blame me for it, then I'll hold my hands up.
"It's frustrating - it feels like events have conspired against us like the pingdemic, flooding, regulations around their introduction. There's been no strike action on Merseyrail network over the past five years - we’ve remained in constant dialogue with operators and unions."
It is hoped the first trains will start to roll out on the Merseyrail network early in 2023. Next year will also see the opening of a new Merseyrail station at Headbolt Lane. The station is on track to open in Spring 2023. Plans are also underway for a new station to serve Liverpool's thriving Baltic Triangle area.
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