Future Rail Projects

[First Class]

RE: Future Rail Projects

(29/12/2012 18:42)childwallblues Wrote:  

(20/12/2012 18:46)First Class Wrote:  

(20/12/2012 08:46)childwallblues Wrote:  I have never understood why Merseyrail continue to ignore the North Mersey Branch from Bootle Oriel Road to Aintree. A single track is still in place and sees occasional use by engineering trains.
The branch is about 3.5 miles and would open up new journey opportunities as well as saving a lot of changing at Sandhills.

It's a matter of what service you run. Liverpool-Bootle-Ormskirk? I would personally just electrify the single line and just run it as a diversionary route or for ECS movements.

I think the reason for the neglect of this route is that it doesn't really bring any dramatic improvements to the network/area, compared to say the Halton Curve.

That is your opinion. Whilst I agree that the Halton Curve needs re-opening it is wholly outside Merseyside, whereas the North Mersey Branch is wholly within. Why do we need "dramatic improvements" anyway?

"Dramatic improvements" = Good PR for politicians, hence why low level improvements rarely get off the ground. The Benefit:Cost ratio is generally designed to approve massive projects, with noticeable and immediate effects, whilst smaller, local improvements usually are allocated a low BCR rating.

What service would you implement that would use the North Mersey Branch? You could perhaps withdraw 2tph to Ormskirk (via Kirkdale) and introduce 2tph to Ormskirk (via Bootle). You still get 6tph Liverpool-Walton/Rice Lane, but Walton-Aintree would obviously see a 50% service reduction.

There are no available paths between Liverpool and Sandhills for any new services (in the day time). You would need to divert existing services.

If you re-opened stations on the North Mersey Line, (rather than just use it as an alternative route), than the "improvements" are much greater and more likely to have a good BCR.