As schools prepare to reopen fully in September and many employees begin to return to their places of work, Merseyrail has issued advice and information to ensure safe travelling on their network.
The Government recently confirmed that all schools will be reopening for the new academic year in September, and businesses across the Liverpool City Region have already begun to bring employees back into offices gradually.
With this in mind, Merseyrail has issued the following advice to those returning to public transport to ensure the safety of themselves and those around them:
- As social distancing will not always be possible during your journey, always wear a face covering on trains and in stations unless you are under 11 or exempt. A £100 fine applies
- Use contactless payments where possible
- Wash or sanitise hands as soon as possible before and after travel
- Maintain social distancing where possible
- Follow advice from staff and be considerate to other passengers
- Do not use public transport if you, or a member of your household, has COVID-19 symptoms
- Travel outside busier times if possible. Typically, weekdays between 07.00-09.30 and 16.00-18.30
From 7 September there will also be a change to the current timetable, with the Ormskirk and Kirkby lines increasing from a 30-minute service to a 15-minute service Monday to Saturday until approximately 19:30 when it will return to every 30 minutes.
Sunday services on all lines will also be subject to change, with the majority of lines seeing an increase in frequency.
Full timetables can be found on the Merseyrail website, and passengers are encouraged to check before they travel. This can be done by visiting www.merseyrail.org, the Merseyrail Twitter account @merseyrail or by sending a message on WhatsApp on 0151 555 1111.
Andy Heath, Managing Director at Merseyrail, said: “Merseyrail has continued to operate right throughout the pandemic, and in the last months as lockdown restrictions have eased we have been able to reintroduce services that were withdrawn during the peak of COVID-19.
“We have worked tirelessly to ensure that travelling on our network is a safe, easy and reliable experience for our passengers and we look forward to welcoming more people back to Merseyrail.
“As pupils and employees begin to return to public transport for their commute from September, it is vital that our passengers follow advice for their own safety and the safety of those around them.”
