All train services on Merseyrail's Hunts Cross line will be suspended for a month from this weekend, with rail replacement buses stepping in at most stations.
Services between Hunts Cross and Moorfields will stop on Sunday, October 11, and will not resume until Saturday, November 7. The suspension is due to what Network Rail describes as "essential engineering work".
£3.5m tunnel strengthening project
A £3.5m project will see engineers strengthen and waterproof four tunnels that bring Northern line services into Liverpool from the south. The work is designed to prevent water entering the tunnels and affecting the 750V electrified third rail, helping to reduce the risk of power failures, emergency speed restrictions, and unplanned closures across the network.
Merseyrail has confirmed that rail replacement buses will serve the stations without rail services during this period: Hunts Cross, Liverpool South Parkway, Cressington, Aigburth, St Michaels, Brunswick and Moorfields. Liverpool Central is on the route but will not be covered by the replacement buses.
Bus timetables and ticketing advice
The operator confirmed that rail replacement buses will run as closely as possible to the usual train timetable. Customers are advised that rail replacement buses can take longer than train journeys, and allowing extra time and planning ahead using the Merseyrail website and app is advised.
Valid Merseyrail tickets will be accepted on all rail replacement bus services. Those using the Tap & Go system should tap in and out at a station validator. If a customer forgets to tap out, they can register on the MetroSmart website to add their missing tap and avoid an incomplete journey charge.
Where to catch replacement buses
Buses will aim to get as close to the train stations they serve as possible, though this is not always easy. Maps indicate where passengers should board and alight at Hunts Cross, Liverpool South Parkway, Cressington, Aigburth, St Michaels, Brunswick and Moorfields stations.
