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Did You Know? Key features
about the new Merseyrail trains summarised
MERSEYTRAVEL has condensed its new
trains project into a series of 5 facts to help people understand some of the
key features of the new trains that will be running on the Merseyrail network
from 2020.
It aims to showcase some of the key features of the state of the art trains as
well as help answer common questions.
The existing fleet is approaching 40 years old; amongst the oldest in the
country and it won't be able to cope with future demand, with passenger numbers
increasing by 2.5% each year.
The new trains, which will be owned by Merseytravel on behalf of the Liverpool
City Region Combined Authority, were approved by City Region leaders in December
2016 and a contract was signed with manufacturer Stadler, in February 2017.
The ₤460m project also includes infrastructure upgrades to power supplies,
platforms and track, as well as refurbishment of the depots at Kirkdale and
Birkenhead North and the on going maintenance of the trains.
Said David Powell, Programme Director for the new trains project:- "We've
put out a lot of information about the new trains, such as the benefits and how
they will be operated, but we appreciate that it's a lot to take in and that's
why we've looked to boil the project down to some of the key facts that should
reassure and clarify as well as excite."
More detail on the new trains, including factsheets, FAQs and common
'claims and facts' can be found
online.
5 ways your travel
will be transformed by the new Merseyrail trains:-
1. Disabled passengers and those with buggies, luggage and bikes will be
able to get on and off without assistance. A sliding step level with the
platform will mean no more stepping on or off, or having to use ramps deployed
by Station staff.
2. Onboard staff will be more visible as they'll be based in the saloon,
dedicated to assisting you during your journey, especially at night and during
events.
3. The risk of you having an incident between the edge of the platform
and the train is greatly reduced, with no need to 'mind the gap' and state of
the art tech will stop you or your belongings getting trapped in the doors.
4. The train saloon will be unrecognisable... in a good way! Bright, open
carriages, visible CCTV images and much improved passenger info.
5. You'll get where you need to go faster. New trains will take 9 minutes
of journey between Hunts Cross and Southport.
5 things you might
not know about the new Merseyrail trains:-
1. Sliding steps to help you get on and off the train, together with
other improvements will make our network the most accessible traditional rail
network in the UK.
2. These trains will be designed specifically for our network. This is
unusual, but possible because they're owned locally by Merseytravel, on behalf
of the Liverpool City Region, and won't have to be made so that they could be
used on other networks in future
3. The new trains incorporate features local people want to see, from air
con to the seating layout and visible CCTV images. This approach, which involved
independent research, is considered:- 'best practice' nationally.
4. These state-of-the-art trains will be introduced without having to put
up ticket prices or Council tax to pay for them.
5. The new trains will be worth ₤70m a year to the regional economy and
will create 1,000 new jobs, just by the fact that they can carry more people
(60% more) and faster, with up to 10% off journey times.
5 things you may not
know about Driver Controlled Operation:-
(Where train drivers rather than guards open and close doors and dispatch the
train)
1. Driver Controlled Operation (DCO) has been used for more than 30 years on networks across the
country such as the London Underground and Tyne & Wear Metro. It is also common
across the world.
2. Up to 70% of all passenger rail journeys in the UK are already on DCO
networks.
3. DCO is the way we can most effectively meet safety recommendations for
the Merseyrail Network following a fatality at James St in 2011.
4. DCO doesn't mean there is only one person on the train; we're keeping
a second member of staff, based in the train saloon, at key locations and times.
Other DCO networks don't offer this.
5. Across the country there is no difference in the rate of incidents
that happen at the train platform edge in networks that use guards and those
that don't.
5 things you may not
realise about staffing on the new trains:-
1. Merseyrail will remain 1 of the most well staffed networks in the
country.
2. New on board customer service staff will be based in the train saloon,
working alongside revenue protection teams, security staff, cleaners, British
Transport Police.
3. Passengers are, on average, only 3 minutes away from a Station
that's staffed 1st to last train.
4. The guards' roles will no longer be required, but all permanent guards
are offered guaranteed continued employment, at Merseyrail, should they wish to
stay.
5. Staff permanently employed as guards now will be on the same pay,
terms and conditions in their new roles, which means they'll earn at least
₤28,000 a year and continue to get other benefits such as free rail travel.
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