Network Rail has explained why some Merseyrail passengers are being wrongly told their train is delayed. For the past few days, display boards have been telling commuters trains to Ormskirk and Hunts Cross are a few minutes late and then indefinitely delayed, only for the service to then turn up on time.
System error causes false delay messages
One commuter said yesterday: “A system error has caused the Ormskirk and Hunt Cross lines to be showing as delayed. They were all saying this (on Monday) because of a system issue, it looks to be the same today.”
Today, commuters using the affected stations were told over the tannoy that, due to “technical difficulties”, display boards “may be showing trains as incorrectly delayed”.
Network Rail working to fix the issue
When the ECHO approached Merseyrail, we were told it was a “temporary Network Rail system issue”. Network Rail told the ECHO it is trying to fix the problem. A spokesperson said: “We’re aware of a fault with the passenger display systems which show train times at stations, where they have become out of sync with train arrivals and departures. We thank people for their patience while our telecommunications engineers are working on getting these systems reset and back working as normal.”
Similar problem during The Open
There was a similar problem with displaying train times during The Open on Sunday July 19, after planned strikes were called off at the eleventh hour on Friday, July 18. The RMT union, which represents workers on the region's rail network, confirmed there would not be strike action over the following weekend and into Monday as had been planned - averting major disruption for travellers and people heading up to the final two days of The Open Golf Championship in Birkdale. But because the decision was made a day before strike action was due to take place, boards at stations failed to display arrivals and departures.
The ECHO was sent a number of pictures from different stations of the display boards advising passengers to "please see front of train for destination" instead of showing the timetable.
Upcoming disruption on the Northern Line
People who use the Ormskirk and Hunts Cross line are set to face significant disruption later this year. There will be no trains running at all on the Northern Line between Liverpool Central and Hunts Cross from Sunday, October 11 to Friday, November 6 due to major engineering works from Network Rail. On Sundays in those four weeks, the closure will extend from Liverpool Central to Sandhills. Replacement buses will run between Hunts Cross and Liverpool Central from Monday to Saturday and run between Hunts Cross and Sandhills on Sundays.
Amended train services will run between Liverpool Central and Southport, Ormskirk, and Headbolt Lane from Monday to Saturday. On Sundays, amended train services will run between Sandhills and Southport, Ormskirk, and Headbolt Lane. Network Rail will be strengthening and waterproofing four tunnels that bring trains into Liverpool from the south.
