Merseyrail is set to expand its network across the Liverpool City Region and beyond thanks to a new fleet of battery-powered trains.
The new trains, unveiled on Thursday (July 15), can operate without installing expensive third rails and could one day provide a direct service from places as far away as Preston and Wrexham into the city region.
They will also enable the Merseyrail network to expand to the planned new stations at Headbolt Lane in Kirkby, the Baltic Triangle, Woodchurch in Wirral, Carr Mill in St Helens as well as the existing station in Widnes.
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Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “It’s a hugely significant development for our public transport network because it means we can go to places now where beforehand we would’ve had to put in expensive infrastructure like the third rail and connect us with communities that are underserved.”
The trains have a range of 20 miles on a single charge and will be the first battery-powered fleet in the country, putting the city region at the forefront of this new technology.
By expanding the Merseyrail network, Mr Rotheram hopes to encourage more people to take environmentally friendly modes of transport to help fight the climate emergency.
He said: “We need to provide a genuine quality alternative to getting in the car.
“With these £500m-worth of trains and what we’re doing on active travel and what we want to do on our buses, we can start to see the benefits.”
What do you think of the new trains? Let us know in the comments.
In future, the new trains could provide a direct service into Liverpool for people who work in the city region but live in surrounding areas, whereas now many choose to drive rather than change trains.
This could include a service between Wrexham and Bidston or linking Preston to the Merseyrail network, meaning people would no longer have to change at Wigan.
It is another step forward in Mr Rotheram’s plans for a fully integrated, London-style transport network.
He said: “I want a public transport system that is recognisably ours. I want our buses to have the same livery as our trains.
“I want a smart ticket system like the Oyster card in London. I want the same system so we can cap prices, but we also want the same subsidies.”
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