Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham kicks off his re-election campaign with a promise to build three new Merseyrail stations. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham is promising to build three new railway station is he is re-elected in May.

Mr Rotheram is seeking a third term as Metro Mayor this spring and is, once again, putting public transport front and centre of his campaign. 

Since the introducing of the new £500m train fleet onto the Merseyrail network last year, the Mayor has stated his ambitions to extend the network. Late last year he opened Headbolt Lane at Kirkby which is serviced by battery-operated trains.

Now he says he will build new stations at Woodchurch in Wirral, Carr Mill in St Helens and Daresbury in Halton by 2030.

“Since I’ve been Mayor, I’ve worked around the clock to give our region what Londoners get to enjoy every day – a reliable, accessible, affordable and integrated network that helps, rather than hinders people getting about,” said Mr Rotheram.

“But I know that in some parts of our region, Liverpool can feel as distant and inaccessible as London. I’m working to put that right, bringing local people closer to each other and to the opportunities we’re creating.”

“My record is in stark contrast to the Conservatives in Government. While they’ve stripped back investment in decent rail infrastructure, such as HS2, I’ve opened two new stations already – with one more under construction and three more about to join them.”

Mr Rotherham has focused heavily on public transport during his first two terms as Metro Mayor. He has pushed forward with plans to introduce bus franchising across the city region and he is also keen to wrest control of Merseyrail infrastructure from Network Rail.

And he also has ambitions to generate power using the River Mersey tides. His £6bn plan would see the construction of a barrage or a floating lagoon. Both options present significant technical and cost challenges.