Angry Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram blasts Merseyrail and Network Rail for ‘unacceptable’ chaos on the network over the last few days – months after Merseyrail shareholders pocketed £42m in dividends. Tony McDonough reports
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has ordered an urgent independent review of the chaos on the Merseyrail network during this week’s bad weather.
Since snow fell across the region last Sunday, there have been multiple delays and cancellations across the network. For a time on Thursday there were no services on either the Northern or Wirral lines.
And despite rail bosses being aware of snow and freezing conditions in advance they failed to organise rail replacement buses leaving travellers fuming. Further disruption is expected on Friday.
On Thursday evening Mr Rotheram posted a video on social media saying he shared the anger of Merseyrail users and announced there would be an independent review into the problems.
These latest problems on the Merseyrail network come just months after Merseyrail shareholders pocketed £42m in dividends following record profits. Mr Rotheram is keen to take greater control of the network once the current franchise ends in 2028.
He said: “While the poor weather conditions have caused problems to public transport all over the country, my concern is what happens in Liverpool city region. As a country we don’t do ‘bad weather’ well.
“This morning’s severe disruption to Merseyrail services due to cold weather is completely unacceptable. It’s not as if there were six-foot snow drifts.
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“For thousands of people across our region – myself included – it’s meant delays getting to work, missed hospital appointments, and unnecessary chaos.
“As someone who regularly uses our public transport system to get around, I’ve seen first-hand the frustration that this kind of failure causes.
“People depend on these services every day, not just to get from A to B, but to keep their lives running smoothly. When the system fails, it’s more than an inconvenience.”
Mr Rotheram blasted both Merseyrail and Network Rail, which is responsible for the upkeep of the track and signalling. It was clear, he added, that the “robust winter plans” that were supposedly in place had failed.
“The fragmentation of the rail network often results in confusion around who is responsible for what bit of the system,” he said. “That’s why today I have commissioned an independent and rapid review into this week’s disruption on the Merseyrail network.”
The findings of this review will be reported at next month’s Combined Authority meeting. And representatives from Network Rail, Merseyrail and train manufacturer Stadler will be summoned to the next meeting of the CA’s Transport Committee on January 30.
“Let me be clear: this isn’t just about trains not running. It’s about the real-world impact on people’s lives – the stress, the missed opportunities, and the disruption it causes,” he added.
“And while freezing conditions might cause challenges, there’s no excuse for other aspects such as the poor communication passengers have experienced. They deserve clear, timely information, not to be left in the dark.”