The latest capacity cut to hit the Merseyrail network is the withdrawal of the West Kirby line's peak-time 6 car services. This affects the 0806 and 1636 West Kirby - Liverpool - West Kirby circulars which have been reduced to 3 car. As far as I'm aware, the spare carriages will not be put to use elsewhere on the network.
Typically, the West Kirby line loses its 6 cars temporarily during leaf fall season to accommodate an additional train on the lengthened Chester - Liverpool - Chester circuit, but it appears that they will not return this year. All autumn they have repeatedly promised on Twitter that the West Kirby 6 cars will return once the Chester leaf fall timetable ends. It hasn't been pretty reading on Twitter for Merseyrail today and I'm sure the local press have already been made aware.
This is added to the loss of three additional peak time services on the busiest and most overcrowded Merseyrail line, Liverpool to Southport: the 0748 and 0803 Southport - Liverpool Central and 1713 Liverpool Central - Southport. The first of these was one of the most overcrowded services on the network before it was pulled in May 2018 to correspond with the opening of Maghull North station on the Ormskirk line.
I make that a total loss of 960 seats in peak hours since the May 2018 timetable change. Can any other rail network in the UK match that level of decline?
Typically, the West Kirby line loses its 6 cars temporarily during leaf fall season to accommodate an additional train on the lengthened Chester - Liverpool - Chester circuit, but it appears that they will not return this year. All autumn they have repeatedly promised on Twitter that the West Kirby 6 cars will return once the Chester leaf fall timetable ends. It hasn't been pretty reading on Twitter for Merseyrail today and I'm sure the local press have already been made aware.
This is added to the loss of three additional peak time services on the busiest and most overcrowded Merseyrail line, Liverpool to Southport: the 0748 and 0803 Southport - Liverpool Central and 1713 Liverpool Central - Southport. The first of these was one of the most overcrowded services on the network before it was pulled in May 2018 to correspond with the opening of Maghull North station on the Ormskirk line.
I make that a total loss of 960 seats in peak hours since the May 2018 timetable change. Can any other rail network in the UK match that level of decline?