Two stations on the Merseyrail network will see a reduction in the number of trains stopping there from next Monday. Tony McDonough reports

Merseyrail is to reduce train frequencies from two Wirral Line stations from Monday, August 22, in an attempt to “improve the reliability of services”. 

Services from Green Lane and Bromborough Rake, which are on the Chester/Ellesmere Port line, will be reduced to every 30 minutes. All other stations on the Chester and Ellesmere Port lines are unaffected. 

According to Merseyrail, reducing the frequency at the two stations with the lowest footfall means it can make improvements to improve the punctuality of services on the Chester line.

A more frequent train service (six trains per hour Monday – Saturday 7:30am to 7pm) is available at other stations near to Bromborough Rake and Green Lane for those who may require it.

Bromborough Rake passengers can use adjacent stations Bromborough or Spital, and Green Lane passengers can use adjacent stations Birkenhead Central or Rock Ferry if required.

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Andy Heath, managing director of Merseyrail, said: We know that customers on the Chester line have been affected by an increasing number of trains running semi-fast and therefore not calling at some stations as planned. 

“We are making this change to our timetable to ensure that we can provide the most reliable service possible for our passengers on this part of the network. Making decisions like this is never easy and in doing so we have sought to inconvenience the smallest number of people possible.”

Merseyrail has also said it will run a limited train service on Thursday, August 18, and Saturday, August 20. This is due to two planned 24-hour strikes by Network Rail staff who are members of the RMT union. 

Network Rail signalling and maintenance employees will be taking industrial action from 7am on Thursday, August 18, to 7am on Friday August, 19, and from 7am on Saturday August, 20, to 7am on Sunday, August 21. 

An hourly service will call at selected stations on each line between 7.30am and 6.30pm on both days to help passengers make essential journeys. A summary of services that will operate on both days is as follows.

• Chester and Ellesmere Port lines: No trains will operate between Chester and Rock Ferry or Ellesmere Port and Rock Ferry. Trains will run hourly between Rock Ferry and Liverpool Central, only calling at Rock Ferry, Birkenhead Central, Hamilton Square, Moorfields and Liverpool Central.
• New Brighton line: Trains will run hourly, only calling at New Brighton, Wallasey Grove Road, Wallasey Village, Birkenhead North, Birkenhead Park, Hamilton Square, Moorfields and Liverpool Central.
• West Kirby line: Trains will run hourly, only calling at West Kirby, Hoylake, Manor Rd, Meols, Moreton, Leasowe, Birkenhead North, Birkenhead Park, Hamilton Square, Moorfields and Liverpool Central.  
• Southport line: Trains will run hourly, only calling at Southport, Formby, Blundellsands & Crosby, Waterloo, Moorfields and Liverpool Central. 
• Hunts Cross line: No trains will operate between Liverpool Central and Hunts Cross.
• Ormskirk line: Trains will run hourly, only calling at Ormskirk, Maghull North, Maghull, Aintree, Kirkdale, Moorfields and Liverpool Central.
• Kirkby line: Trains will run hourly, only calling at Kirkby, Fazakerley, Rice Lane, Kirkdale, Moorfields and Liverpool Central.

There will be no trains on the Merseyrail network before 7.30am or after 6.30pm on either day. Due to lack of availability, there are no rail-replacement buses on either day. Passengers should make alternative travel arrangements where necessary.

On Friday August 19, trains will be gradually reintroduced from 7am, when the first 24-hour strike ends. It is intended that a normal train service will resume from 8am across the Merseyrail network.