Future Rail Projects

[skelmersey]

RE: Future Rail Projects

(18/12/2012 10:10)teenagewasteland Wrote:  

(18/12/2012 10:02)skelmersey Wrote:  

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

Understood, but the investigation costing £150,000 (Lancs CC and Merseytravel footing this) is to find the best way of getting the rail link for Skem, it would be great if Merseyrail ran through to Wigan and Skem but in the real world its never going to happen.

As far as I can remember (was young at the time!) the Wigan-Exchange trains were well used and only declined when someone took a great big pair of scissors and snipped it at Kirkby, so I see your point.