Merseyrail are making minor changes to the timetable of the Southport, Chester and Ellesmere Port lines from Monday, October 3.
The changes will enable a reliable service during Autumn, when leaf fall can cause problems on the network. Most passengers won’t notice any change to their journey.
The residue from fallen leaves covers the track with a hard, slippery coating, which makes acceleration problematic in some areas. Trains have to run at slightly lower speeds to ensure safety.
Work is undertaken throughout the year by Network Rail and Merseyrail to reduce the impact of leaf fall.
The minor changes will be:
Chester and Ellesmere Port Lines: Trains running from stations between Chester and Ellesmere Port and Birkenhead Central will depart up to three minutes earlier than currently timetabled. They will arrive in Liverpool City Centre at their usual time.
Trains from Liverpool City Centre will depart at their usual time but arrive at stations between Birkenhead Central and Chester and Ellesmere Port up to three minutes later than currently timetabled.
Bromborough Rake and Green Lane stations will remain on a 30-minute frequency for trains.
Southport Line: Trains running from stations between Southport and Sandhills will depart up to three minutes earlier than currently timetabled. They will arrive in Liverpool City Centre at their usual time.
Trains from Liverpool City Centre will depart at their usual time but arrive at stations between Sandhills and Southport up to three minutes later than currently timetabled.
Passengers should use the Merseyrail journey planner to plan journeys.
You can watch an explanation of how the Merseyrail network is maintained during Autumn here.
