Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, along with train, bus, ferry and Mersey Tunnel operators, activates its winter weather strategy and urges passengers to do their bit to ensure things run smoothly. Tony McDonough reports
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (CA) is hoping for less disruption on public transport in the coming months as it activates its winter weather strategy.
Along with train operator Merseyrail, bus companies, Mersey Ferries and Mersey Tunnels, the CA is putting plans in place to minimise the risk of disruption delays and cancellations during the winter period.
In particular it is hoping its £500m train fleet on the Merseyrail network is better equipped should Merseyside be hit with any significant snowfalls.
On January 9 2025, Liverpool city region was hit by snow and freezing conditions. This led to multiple delays and cancellations across the Merseyrail network. For several hours on that day there were no services on either the Northern or Wirral lines.
Despite rail bosses being aware of snow and freezing conditions in advance they failed to organise rail replacement buses leaving travellers fuming. Mr Rotheram said the chaos was “unacceptable”.
Following the chaos Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram appointed transport industry expert Vernon Everitt to conduct an urgent review. That report is now published and Mr Everitt warns this “unprecedented failure” could happen again this winter.
The report found that the main problem was ice on the third rail, which supplies electricity to the new 777 model trains built by Swiss manufacturer, Stadler. The old trains “sheered off” ice from the third rail.
However, when the new trains came into contact with ice they ‘lifted up’, no longer making contact with the third rail, and coming to a stop.
According to the CA everyone from front line staff to transport planners are “working hard behind the scenes” to ensure the network is as resilient as possible in the event of weather conditions such as heavy rain, strong winds, ice, snow and freezing temperatures.
Preparations include making sure grit supplies are topped up and ready to go, checking equipment, updating travel information systems, and ensuring staff are ready to respond quickly to any disruption.
The winter readiness programme involves a comprehensive set of measures to keep people moving safely:
- Merseyrail: Efforts are focused on preventing the build-up of ice on the third rail, a common cause of winter disruption. This includes running empty “ghost trains” overnight and early in the mornings to clear the rails, the application of anti-icing agents, and the readiness of rolling stock to operate in the cold.
- Buses and bus stations: Bus operators and maintenance teams are preparing their fleets for the cold, while Merseytravel hubs staff are ensuring bus stations and interchanges remain safe and operational, with gritting and snow clearance plans in place.
- Mersey Tunnels: The Mersey Tunnels Police and Tunnels operations staff are at the forefront of keeping the Kingsway and Queensway Tunnels moving safely. Their preparations include equipment and vehicle checks, gritting the highway and putting in place emergency response procedures for adverse weather.
- Mersey Ferries: The Ferries team will monitor river conditions and weather forecasts closely, with contingency plans for any necessary service changes due to high winds or poor conditions on the River Mersey.
Cllr Steve Foulkes, Chair of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Transport Committee said: “As we move into the colder months of the year, our frontline public transport colleagues are hard at work to keep the network moving.
“We want to thank our staff working on the trains, tunnels, Mersey Tunnel Police, buses, ferries, travel centres, ticket offices and our customer contact centre, for helping keep the city region moving over this period and enabling the public to travel safely to enjoy meeting family and friends.
“Whether travelling for work, leisure, shopping or simply to visit relatives, we would urge passengers to make sure they plan their journeys in advance as there will be changes to services across the city region at this time.”