Govt looks to overhaul Manchester rail services

Proposals to improve the performance and punctuality of the city-region’s creaking rail network have been unveiled for consultation, with the best of three options set to be rolled out from May 2022.

The plans have been drawn up by the Department for Transport with Transport for the North, Network Rail and the train operators, Northern and TransPennine Express.

The organisations noted that congestion in the region before the pandemic created regular delays to services around Manchester, with knock-on impacts to overall rail reliability across the North. Last March, the Government was forced to strip Northern of its operational franchise and take back control due to continued poor service.

The intention of the proposed network overhaul is to increase the reliability of services for commuters and other rail users with fewer knock-on delays as happens at present, once people start using public transport more widely after Covid-19.

In addition, longer term infrastructure changes – for example those proposed by Transport for the North and Northern Powerhouse Rail – that would enable more services to be added in the future.

The three options being presented to the public in the consultation feature increasing levels of change from pre-Covid service patterns. They also affect different routes, and which routes have direct services to Manchester Oxford Road and Piccadilly stations, and Manchester Airport.

Option A – most existing origins and destinations are retained, particularly for the Newcastle to Piccadilly and Sheffield to Manchester Airport journeys.

Option B – a variant that maintains Airport connectivity for Liverpool and North Wales. The Cleethorpes/Nottingham service via Sheffield to Liverpool is increased to a standard two trains per hour. This means there is no longer a through service from Sheffield to Manchester Airport – a movement that is “very operationally challenging” at Manchester Piccadilly, according to the DfT. Passengers from Warrington Central would also need to change at Piccadilly to access the Airport.

Option C – makes the most interventions and moves closest to 30-minute frequencies on most of the corridors into Manchester, including services on the Blackburn, Calder Valley, Chorley, Wigan, Buxton, Chester via Warrington Bank Quay, Airport (stopping) and Crewe lines. In Option C, several stations gain improvements in frequency, contributing to overall benefits for the wider network.

The consultation builds on Government investment in electrification schemes and new trains for Northern and TPE.

Rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris said: “We are putting the power to improve Manchester’s rail network in the hands of those that use it daily. I urge passengers to use this opportunity to comment on the future of your railway.

“Improving punctuality and reliability is one of my key priorities. As we continue to build back better from the pandemic, these proposals will ensure that the rail network is more dependable for those who use it every day.”

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said he welcomed the Government’s focus on the issue. “The bottleneck in central Manchester is a problem for the whole of the North – and solving these congestion issues will improve the reliability of rail services for passengers right across the North.”

Liam Robinson, chair of Transport for The North’s Rail North Committee, added: “Passengers need a better deal when it comes to reliability. When they return to the North’s trains, they need to step onto services with confidence.

“Manchester’s congested rail network has long been the source of delays and frustration for passengers, with knock-on effects for the North’s communities. We urge everyone to take a look and give their view on these proposals.

“While the goal of these short-term changes is to reduce delays and increase reliability, it is clear that the work we are doing with the Government and the industry on longer-term investment in rail infrastructure is also critically important, alongside changes to services.”

 

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This is great news, now we just need to remove the politics from the project and it might actually happen..

By anon

Any update on the Southport to Manchester line?

By Anonymous

More capacity has always been the answer. Structural engineers and architects were working on detailed drawings for P15&16 and Oxford Road expansion before the Tories pulled the plug. This was during the Northern Powerhouse era. Now we’re “levelling up” by taking trains off the network. Will the Tories bluster be backed by spades in the ground? Would London have local and intercity trains on a two line railway? No.

By Platforms 15 and 16

Keep trains from Liverpool and Preston to the Airport as these don’t need to ‘cross’ Piccadilly. The Leeds, Sheffield etc trains should terminate at Piccadilly (as these have to cross the whole of Picc to get to and from the Airport), with a frequent shuttle from there to the Airport. This will improve punctuality for all the services via Piccadilly and Oxford Road.

By Avro

Reopen Woodhead to provide a direct service to Derby (and an additional route to Sheffield).
Reopen the line to Wigan via Worsley and Leigh.
Reopen the East Lancashire railway MCV – Victoria via Middleton and Castleton.

By 1981

What is needed are major infrastructure programmes in Central Manchester. The construction of platforms 15 and 16 at Piccadilly and the complete rebuild of Oxford Road Station. Both plans were first suggested 6 years ago when the Ordsall Chord was constructed.

This project will tell us how serious this government actually is about levelling up the North.

By Nick

I agree with comments made re: Piccadilly p 15/p16 and the Oxford Rd rebuild should be priorities. That’s a start anyways..

By Robert Fuller

If Manchester is becoming too congested then Government should look to boosting the economies of other cities, like Sheffield, Liverpool, etc , in addition they might look at longer trains or double decker trains.
The sooner a comprehensive Northern High Speed Rail network is built the better.

By Anonymous

The problem is that Northern was even given control over what are basically, metropolitan lines. Trains connecting the likes of Bolton and Stockport to Manchester should be separated from the franchise and run as an overground by the city, just like they are in London, and integrated on the same ticketing system as the trams.

By Lin

I don’t think reopening Woodhead tunnels is possible anymore.

By Anonymous

Why keep two different operators (Northern and TPE) with total duplication when both are now nationalised? Expensive and inefficient.

By Peter Black

@15&16 spot on. It was shovel ready and should be in place by now. That will go a long way to resolving the issues.

By Disgruntled Goat

Tickets are very high, It’s should be less and reasonable so all can afford to pay.

By Jerry T Rodrigues

The consultation relates to what can be done in the short term without additional infrastructure, so while the comments saying about platforms 15 and 16 being needed at Piccadilly are true, that’s not what the consultation is about.

It seems in brief the options proposed are:
Option A – do nothing significant, other than making a few revisions to improve reliability.
Option B – some small improvements but no noticeable improvements on the lines going out of Piccadilly to the south and east.
Option C – as many improvements as can be implemented with the existing infrastructure, which results in a few compromises like South TransPennine services no longer reversing and continuing to the airport.

My guess is option A will happen unless lots of people respond telling the government how proposed improvements could benefit them.

By Gemma

I think it is important for the rail link to remain connecting Sheffield with Manchester Airport as it helps reduce traffic on the road to the Airport especially in the planned exit from Covid restrictions and people plan to holiday or travel for business. It is an easy trouble free way to travel and would be sorely missed by a large number of commuters.

By Mrs Wilkins

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