The Liverpool City Region is set to take back control of its trains under plans unveiled today by Mayor Steve Rotheram. A report going before the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority next week recommends that rail services currently operated under the Merseyrail concession are taken back into public control when the existing contract comes to an end in 2028.
The move would be another major step towards the Mayor’s ambition of creating a transport system where trains, buses, ferries, active travel and future rapid transit services work together as one network – making it easier and more convenient for people to get around the city region.
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “Since becoming Mayor, I’ve been determined to build a transport network that works better for the people who rely on it every day – one that’s easier to use, better connected and designed around passengers. We’ve already introduced the country’s first publicly owned train fleet in a generation, delivered new rail stations, taken back control of our buses, rolled out tap-and-go ticketing and started laying the foundations for a rapid transit network. Now we have the opportunity to take back control of our trains too."
