From September 7 the Government is aiming to fully reopen schools and Merseyrail is expecting a rise in passenger numbers. Tony McDonough reports

Merseyrail is to increase the frequency of its services to coincide with the reopening of schools in September.

In March the train operator slashed services across its Wirral and Northern Line networks as the Liverpool city region went into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From May onwards the lockdown eased and Merseyrail increased services again.

However, some services have still not returned to their pre-COVID frequencies. However, from September 7 the Government is aiming to fully reopen schools and Merseyrail is expecting a rise in passenger numbers.

So from September 7 the Ormskirk and Kirkby lines will increase from a 30-minute service to a 15-minute service Monday to Saturday until approximately 7.30pm when it will return to every 30 minutes. Sunday services on all lines will also be subject to change, with the majority of lines seeing an increase in frequency.

Merseyrail has also re-issued advice and information to ensure safe travelling on their network. As well as the reopening of school there is also a steady increase in commuters returning to their workplaces. The advice is:

• As social distancing will not always be possible during your journey, always wear a face covering on trains and in stations unless you are under 11 or exempt. A £100 fine applies.
• Use contactless payments where possible.
• Wash or sanitise hands as soon as possible before and after travel.
• Maintain social distancing where possible.
• Follow advice from staff and be considerate to other passengers.
• Do not use public transport if you, or a member of your household, has COVID-19 symptoms.
• Travel outside busier times if possible. Typically, weekdays between 7am to 9.30am and
• 4pm to 6.30pm.

Andy Heath, managing director at Merseyrail, said: “Merseyrail has continued to operate right throughout the pandemic, and in the last months as lockdown restrictions have eased we have been able to reintroduce services that were withdrawn during the peak of COVID-19.

We have worked tirelessly to ensure that travelling on our network is a safe, easy and reliable experience for our passengers and we look forward to welcoming more people back to Merseyrail.”