Future Rail Projects

[teenagewasteland]

RE: Future Rail Projects

(18/12/2012 10:02)skelmersey Wrote:  

(17/12/2012 22:29)First Class Wrote:  

(17/12/2012 22:09)507009 Wrote:  I am definitely in favour of an extension to Headbolt Lane as is planned, which will benefit a sizeable proportion of Kirkby's population for whom the current station at Westvale is inconvenient and the bus service (20/21) under capacity. Wigan is a stretch too far though in my opinion, not being anywhere near Merseyside and an area with no real connection with the county. Skelmersdale is a different proposition, having considerable ties with Liverpool as an overspill town. However, I would've thought electrification via Ormskirk would be better.

With Headbolt Lane, altering the local station names would be preferable, perhaps Kirkby West and Kirkby East. It would be hard to get used to referring to the "Headbolt Lane line".

What about naming Headbolt Lane as Tower Hill? Rename Kirkby (Merseyside) as Kirkby Town. Ticketing wise you just create a new cluster "Kirkby Stns".

If it was extended to Wigan, it is likely to be most cost effective. GMPTE (TFGM) would probably be prepared to contribute to the project. The DfT could probably also be persuaded to contribute as it would free up 1-2 DMUs for Northern, (which could benefit Southport-Wigan). I think Liverpool-Wigan is quite a sizeable market, bigger than Skem.

But isnt there already a regular Liverpool-Wigan service from Lime st to Wigan North Western? How cost effective would it be to replace a service that already exists against providing one that does not exist at all?

The current Lime Street - Wigan North Western service is a victim of its' own success. The line is already working to capacity. There's a ready-made alternative that's so under-utilised it's untrue.

Remember, trains used to run direct between Wigan Wallgate and Liverpool Exchange before electrification to Kirkby. It could be seen as "righting a wrong", so to speak. Who knows?