Liverpool Central is overcrowded and "needs to be rebuilt"

[M28361M]

Saw this interesting report from the Liverpool Echo which also has some pictures of crowded platforms (although to be honest I've seen far worse crowding at Central than those pics show).

Liverpool Central Station is so overcrowded that passengers could soon face restrictions on their movements, rail bosses have warned - and now they are campaigning for it to be rebuilt.

Liverpool Central is now one of the busiest stations in the UK outside London even though it only has three platforms. And the Northern Line platforms, which welcome almost a train every two minutes, are heaving every rush hour.

Passenger numbers have already doubled over the past decade. Transport bosses say that the Merseyrail network is getting busier and is likely to attract even more passengers once new larger trains are introduced.

They say that unless the station is extended, then within a few years "restrictions" - such as making passengers wait in the busy shopping centre upstairs - could have to be introduced to stop overcrowding.

And they say the crowding at Central could also affect other plans to extend the network, as the station would not have the capacity to cope with the extra passenger numbers.

Merseytravel and Merseyrail are in talks with the Government and with Augur, the owner of the land above Central, over plans to extend the station to make more space for passengers.

Merseyrail managing director Andy Heath and Merseytravel chairman Liam Robinson met the ECHO at Central Station at 5.30pm one weekday to show us how busy the station gets - and why it needs rebuilding.

Mr Heath said bluntly: “We’ve got to get this station fit for purpose by the late 2020s. Doing nothing is not an option.”

It does seem that the refurbishment a few years ago was something of a missed opportunity. It certainly made the station slightly more pleasant (and got rid of the squeaky escalators!), but hasn't improved capacity, in particular the narrow platforms on the Northern Line platform. I guess they didn't have the funds for anything other than a cosmetic overhaul.

One interesting point is mention of the Wapping Tunnel project, which I assumed was long-dead:

There is a long-term plan to connect the old Wapping Tunnel with Central station to create a new link to Edge Hill.

That would transform the city’s rail network, but would also bring even more people to Central. So that plan simply could not happen unless the station is rebuilt.

 

[Jorge Da Silva]

Might be an idea to add two new platforms and allow a four platformed station on the Northern Line and one platform on the Wirral Line.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Might be an idea to add two new platforms and allow a four platformed station on the Northern Line and one platform on the Wirral Line.

A second island would be the ideal.

 

[driver_m]

A second island would be the ideal.

No. That would be the bare minimum option. Two extra full platforms with the scope for further expansion would be the ideal. Like was done at MK all those years ago and now proven it's worth.

 

[Bletchleyite]

No. That would be the bare minimum option. Two extra full platforms with the scope for further expansion would be the ideal. Like was done at MK all those years ago and now proven it's worth.

You mean three islands?

MKC had 5 as built, and had one through platform and a useless (until EWR) 4 car bay added later.

 

[driver_m]

You mean three islands?

MKC had 5 as built, and had one through platform and a useless (until EWR) 4 car bay added later.

Yep. Build 2 extra islands. 4 platforms ideal for now, add the edge hill connection though and you realistically need the extra 2 platforms to allow terminators or have contingency, otherwise everything would have to run through to somewhere and be badly knocked with any delay.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yep. Build 2 extra islands. 4 platforms ideal for now, add the edge hill connection though and you realistically need the extra 2 platforms to allow terminators or have contingency, otherwise everything would have to run through to somewhere and be badly knocked with any delay.

Removing terminators is the best plan in my view - Wapping would give you somewhere to send them.

 

[Skie]

Terminators serve a useful purpose at the moment though, as they clear the platforms of anyone for the services trip back out so act as a bit of pressure relief for the small platforms whilst they sit there waiting to go. They dont particularly cause problems with frequency, either, though they will have to go eventually if Merseyrail want to add more services.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Terminators serve a useful purpose at the moment though, as they clear the platforms of anyone for the services trip back out so act as a bit of pressure relief for the small platforms whilst they sit there waiting to go. They dont particularly cause problems with frequency, either, though they will have to go eventually if Merseyrail want to add more services.

In any major works they could do with moving the platform accesses to the ends - that way the structures could all be removed, probably doubling the platform capacity even without another island.

 

[M28361M]

Terminators serve a useful purpose at the moment though, as they clear the platforms of anyone for the services trip back out so act as a bit of pressure relief for the small platforms whilst they sit there waiting to go.

Yes, and it's a shame that the new Ormskirk line timetable now sees most Ormskirk trains (Mon-Sat daytimes at least) using the reversing siding at Liverpool Central rather than waiting in the platform, which means there are more people waiting around and causing congestion.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yes, and it's a shame that the new Ormskirk line timetable now sees most Ormskirk trains (Mon-Sat daytimes at least) using the reversing siding at Liverpool Central rather than waiting in the platform, which means there are more people waiting around and causing congestion.

I think this was because Maghull North necessitated adding another unit into the circuit, which meant the layover at Central would be too long. Presumably it wasn't viable to move some of that layover to Ormskirk. (Pre-privatisation there was a unit in the platform at Ormskirk for about 12 minutes out of 15 - it's less now so there should be *some* capacity there).

 

[frodshamfella]

Saw this interesting report from the Liverpool Echo which also has some pictures of crowded platforms (although to be honest I've seen far worse crowding at Central than those pics show).



It does seem that the refurbishment a few years ago was something of a missed opportunity. It certainly made the station slightly more pleasant (and got rid of the squeaky escalators!), but hasn't improved capacity, in particular the narrow platforms on the Northern Line platform. I guess they didn't have the funds for anything other than a cosmetic overhaul.

One interesting point is mention of the Wapping Tunnel project, which I assumed was long-dead:

I don't know much about the Wapping Tunnel how would this work...where does go to / come from ?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I don't know much about the Wapping Tunnel how would this work...where does go to / come from ?

It would connect Liverpool Central to Edge Hill, and allow a selection of the City Line services to instead become part of the Northern Line. It would require dual voltage units as it would need to be 25kV once onto the shared sections.

 

[Jorge Da Silva]

It would connect Liverpool Central to Edge Hill, and allow a selection of the City Line services to instead become part of the Northern Line. It would require dual voltage units as it would need to be 25kV once onto the shared sections.

It would free up capacity at Lime Street for additional services.

Could an expanded concourse at Central and two new platforms be the solution for now?

 

[Bletchleyite]

It would free up capacity at Lime Street for additional services.

Could an expanded concourse at Central and two new platforms be the solution for now?

There is a plan of some kind I believe, involving a New St style "new shopping centre funds improvements" model. No details out though. If it doesn't involve two islands *before* dumping anything on top (at present there's nothing on top except the present station building, a couple of Network Rail/Merseyrail modular buildings and a car park) it's madness, as it's really "now or never".

 

[Jorge Da Silva]

There is a plan of some kind I believe, involving a New St style "new shopping centre funds improvements" model. No details out though. If it doesn't involve two islands *before* dumping anything on top (at present there's nothing on top except the present station building, a couple of Network Rail/Merseyrail modular buildings and a car park) it's madness, as it's really "now or never".

Is there no other buildings on top of the site other than Network Rail or Merseyrail then?

Also what would it have looked like if the Link to Edge Hill had been built.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Is there no other buildings on top of the site other than Network Rail or Merseyrail then?

Pretty much. Have a look on Google Street View, the car went down there and had a drive round the compound.

 

[Elecman]

There is a rather large development built over part of the site, you have to drive under it to get to the new Network Rail depot

 

[Bletchleyite]

There is a rather large development built over part of the site, you have to drive under it to get to the new Network Rail depot

You mean at the south end? It's not over the top, the emergency exit building which is at the extreme south end of the platform is before that (under the bridge).

 

[Fawkes Cat]

(T)he Northern Line platforms, which welcome almost a train every two minutes

This seems to be a rather unkind description of the 507s and 508s. I know they're getting on a bit but...

 

[frodshamfella]

It would connect Liverpool Central to Edge Hill, and allow a selection of the City Line services to instead become part of the Northern Line. It would require dual voltage units as it would need to be 25kV once onto the shared sections.

Thank you

 

[B&I]

Rumours are that the latest.plans for development above Central will focus more on office space, perhaps a reaction to Britaim as a whole reaching peak shopping centre.

As well as a new island platform, it would be sensible to have a new southern entrance and concourse. There have been a lot of new developments in recent years stimulating demand for travel to that part of the city.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Rumours are that the latest.plans for development above Central will focus more on office space, perhaps a reaction to Britaim as a whole reaching peak shopping centre.

As well as a new island platform, it would be sensible to have a new southern entrance and concourse. There have been a lot of new developments in recent years stimulating demand for travel to that part of the city.

The other benefit of that would be that you could move the escalators to the extreme ends of the island platforms at both ends[1], giving for a completely clear platform and roughly doubling capacity over the existing one where the escalators and machinery take almost all of the space up at the end where a 3-car train stops, which is part of the cause of the overcrowding issue.

[1] I know the south end isn't wide enough for that at present, but we are predicating this on a total dig-out-and-rebuild, so no reason they couldn't be. This is a lot more than was done in the 1970s rebuild, as that didn't change the shape of the platform.

 

[frodshamfella]

The Liverpool Echo article did mention about rail extension to Skelmerdale which has been mentioned on here but some time ago, all quiet since.

 

[driver_m]

Out of shame, the government should put the money up for the Skem scheme to help mitigate the most disastrous new town scheme ever. How you can build a new town, then basically leave it to fend for itself when the industry basically shuts down en masse is beyond belief.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I agree it's needed, but it's hardly the only place where that has happened, and there is a decent bus service to Liverpool, Southport via Ormskirk and Wigan, so it's not *disastrously* badly connected.

 

[urbophile]

I agree it's needed, but [Skelmersdale is] hardly the only place where that has happened, and there is a decent bus service to Liverpool, Southport via Ormskirk and Wigan, so it's not *disastrously* badly connected.

Decent?? According to Traveline the quickest direct bus service takes over an hour and three quarters. Slightly less than that by changing to two trains. Despite being in West Lancashire, Skem is part of the Liverpool diaspora so links with the city are important both for business and family reasons. Wigan is perhaps becoming more significant but even getting there is not easy. Which other new towns have such a lamentable lack of rail connections?

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Which other new towns have such a lamentable lack of rail connections?

Peterlee?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Of course Skem does have a station, at Upholland. Not well served by buses, though.

Amazed it is so slow - it's not far enough for it to take that long!

 

[507 001]

Skem is anything but well connected by buses....