... but 4 tracking (or even loops) creates dedicated fast lines free of stoppers, while maintaining the shorter, direct, original (faster) route. Think SWML.
I don't see why four tracking would be preferable to just building a new line on the short alignment.
It depends on the train service spec people want, and if any space is actually in the right places. No point 4 tracking if you can't make best use of it.
liverpoolbidcompany.com
I've only skimmed it, but it seems to be full of the usual vagueness that these reports are prone to.
Tbh Liverpool Airport should be served by a Merseyrail loop running Hunts Cross - Speke Morrisons - Airport - Liverpool South Parkway, that would be better for local connectivity. I can't see it ever growing big enough to justify an on-site station for intercity services though.
I'm not sure its growing rapidly....6M possibly this year, and we are talking about a rail service serving the north of England so well within catchment. If you are building something called Liverpool Gateway, the airport should be part of it, makes no sense for it not to be.
Maybe it should in an ideal world, but it's in an awkward position for NPR to reach it.
Even a straight line chat moss 2.0 route, able to run at a max speed of 200mph, with 0 stops might be just under 20 mins, while being much less useful, not serving Warrington or the suburbs of Liverpool/Manchester. As with HS2, it's capacity over speed. (Remember it's a front for HS2 Phase 2b)
So there we have it. Vast expenditure proposed to deliver something no better in time terms than the existing, largely unmodernised, system can deliver. What an utter waste of money!
With a top speed of 300km/h the Sanyo Shinkansen covers 55km in fifteen minutes.
Its a front for Phase 2b, but it fails based on its stated objectives.
An underground through station at Manchester Piccadilly, linking to an upgraded Transpennine route, is a game changer, however, freeing up Victoria and Piccadilly for additional 'metro' type services. And yes, I do hope this is a 'trojan horse' for HS2 to reach Manchester!
The reason that they've put fast trains on the CLC is because Liverpool doesn't want to lose it's direct trains to Sheffield, not because they will be faster.
One would hope that a scheme as expensive and disruptive as this one would find a way to connect to one of the primary routes east out of Manchester.
Exactly, it will also massively relieve the Airport branch, which is good news from anyone who lives along the Styal line.
Seconded. Currently access is by a stopping bus from South Parkway, wouldn't be so bad if the bus was direct and non-stop.
Yes, this has already been pointed out by people west of Warrington.
A Class 185 can do Liverpool - Manchester non-stop via Chat Moss in under 30 minutes if it gets a clear road - as I found out several years ago, before the non-stop Trans Pennine services ceased.
Well yes if the Northern line could be extended from Hunts X and serve Speke too as well as the airport, you could kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Hunts X always seems an odd place to terminate anyway.
I use the bus link from South Parkway quite often when I get a flight. As you say it's stops and the traffic it that area is really getting bad , so something needs to be done.
Exactly and Merseyrail is familiar with the Liverpool City centre - suburbs loop form of operation anyway.
Grade separate Ordsall lane and you could probably manage 35 minutes with one stop ever 15 minutes. Wouldn't be cheap but probably still less than this route.
Yes.
