Major step to bring Merseyrail stations back into local control

A major step forward has been announced to bring rail stations across the Liverpool City Region back into local control. For decades, Network Rail and its predecessor has overseen the ownership of stations and tracks across the country following the privatisation of the industry in 1995.

Now, a station delivery board for the city region is to be created that will work in partnership with industry officials to bring stops across Merseyside back into the control of local leaders and the combined authority. Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said the move was “long overdue” and would help to deliver a system that “works for everyone.”

Since the privatisation of British Rail almost 30 years ago, Railtrack and subsequently Network Rail have been the authorities in charge of the management of tracks, stations and signals, rather than local operators like Merseyrail. Addressing the combined authority this afternoon, Mr Rotheram said the new board would go a long way to changing that.

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He said: “The landscape of our railways remains a patchwork with multiple operators, unclear responsibilities and passengers often caught in the middle. Locally the Merseyrail commission was signed in 2003 and at that time trains were leased through a third party.

“I’m proud to say we’ve now replaced those old trains with a new publicly owned fleet, one of the most sophisticated and the most accessible in the country, so it’s clear from what we’re doing there’s a demonstration of our commitment to local control and once again the Liverpool City Region is leading the way because we’ve always been trailblazers.

“Back then, we were the first area to take local control of a rail franchise and now we continue to push the boundaries of rail devolution.” The Metro Mayor said the current system was “complex” which often left passengers struggling to navigate and “unsure of who to turn to when things go wrong, but it’s normally me.”

He added: “Since I was elected in 2017, one of my top priorities has been to simplify public transport for the region.” The Labour Mayor said the signing of a memorandum of understanding for rail devolution last year put the region in a “strong position to untangle the confusion” and deliver a system that “works for everyone.”

The board will oversee the transfer of station ownership to the city region, which Mr Rotheram said would bring “much needed local accountability.” He added: “This means finally we can take full control of our stations and ensure they are operated in the best interests of local passengers.”

As part of this change over, Mr Rotheram said a “major redevelopment” would begin at Moorfields station, with hopes to deliver new locations in St Helens, Halton and Wirral. He said: “I’m confident that the public will support this move to make our transport system fairer, simpler, greener and more understandable and we’ll see those improvements come through the system much more clearly.”