It probably leaves it with Option A (the least change). Which is what I thought would happen all along (think only Option C sent the TFW service via Northwich and NR blocked the 2nd Mid Cheshire service in 2015 citing level crossings amongst other things unless I'm mistaken)
I was actually discussing this with a local councillor yesterday and the timetable appeared to be:
Prior to the 2015 general election the government unveiled a specification for the new Northern franchise, the specification required an additional hourly Northwich to Manchester service. Arriva's winning bid included an additional hourly Greenbank to Manchester service to start in December 2017.
The changes were postponed from December 2017 to May 2018 following delays cascading rolling stock from GWR to Northern.
Provisional times were agreed for the new services with Network Rail, including for additional Mid-Cheshire services. However, in the weeks leading up to the timetable change Northern realised they would still not have enough rolling stock for all the additional services so postponed some changes until December 2018.
The May 2018 timetable recast was a total failure and Network Rail barred any additional Manchester services being introduced in December 2018.
Arriva proposed an hourly Chester to Altrincham service instead of the Greenbank to Manchester service but Network Rail came up with excuses why that couldn't happen either.
- The Taskforce(?) have now said the options are not workable (something about level crossings in Cheshire affecting TfW services among other things).
- The Taskforce hasn't looked at (in any detail) the option that Transport for Greater Manchester proposed.
- Castlefield Corridor Infrastructure works won't be ready until at least the early 2030s.
It probably leaves it with Option A (the least change). Which is what I thought would happen all along (think only Option C sent the TFW service via Northwich and NR blocked the 2nd Mid Cheshire service in 2015 citing level crossings amongst other things unless I'm mistaken)
I'm struggling to understand this.
@BHXDMT's post makes it sounds like all options as they are have been deemed unworkable. Option C was the only one which proposed an additional passenger service on the Mid-Cheshire line, so level crossing constraints on the Mid-Cheshire line can't be reason for options A or B being unworkable. Even if Option C is the preferred option it would be possible to revise it so that additional passenger trains don't run between Northwich and Chester.
For example, taking GMCA's revised option C (which had Wigan-Hazel Grove and Southport-Oxford Road as all day hourly services):
TfW Rail service goes to Stalybridge, instead of one the Southport services in the original proposal, with no second Chester to Leeds service introduced.
Proposed Southport to Oxford Road service extended to Greenbank
Wigan service runs as shuttle to Oxford Road.
Maybe Mr Burnham could fund it (do TfGM have devolved funding for transport?)
I thought the whole idea was what could be done with existing infrastructure.
From memory, Handforth retains two trains per hour to and from Manchester but loses its through service to Crewe (both trains terminate at Alderley Edge).
It was. However, GMCA proposed it should be revised so stations retain an hourly service to Piccadilly via Stockport, with one of the Alderley Edge services forming the second airport service instead.
Network Rail said they fixed issues relating to level crossings, although I think they were in the Altrincham area, not the southern end. However, if it relates to timings, just put up telephones at the crossings, no?
Not that long ago the Sunday service was suspended on the line with a press release saying drainage issues in the Timperley area were being rectified. I questioned on here why the service was suspended for the whole line if only a couple of miles of track were affected and someone said there were signalling/level crossing upgrades going on between Chester and Greenbank as well, which effectively meant the whole line was closed.