The green light has been given for work on a new multi-million pound
Freight link between the Port of Liverpool and the West Coast Main Line.

Merseytravel's Olive Mount Chord project involves reopening a disused stretch
of railway, linking Bootle with London and Manchester.

The line, about a quarter of a mile long, has been closed for 20 years.


BBC News Read More (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/7197900.stm)

‘Vital’ rail link could help ease road congestion
Jan 21 2008
by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

WORK is to start on a “vital” new rail freight link between the Port of Liverpool and the West Coast Main Line.

The £7.9m Olive Mount Chord project will bring back into use a stretch of track which has been closed for 20 years.

The scheme, expected to start within weeks and finish before the end of the year, is key to moving freight in and out of the docks more quickly and easing road congestion.

It is hoped it will also unlock investment in the port.

The work involves a disused quarter-mile stretch linking Bootle with London and Manchester.

Merseytravel has approved its £2.1m contribution to the project, which is supported by Network Rail, the Northwest Regional Development Agency, Merseyside’s district councils and the European Regional Development Fund.

It will remove the need for freight trains to reverse at Edge Hill, slashing rail times by cutting the need to cross lines into and out of Lime Street.

Cllr Mark Dowd, chairman of Merseytravel, said the scheme could help reduce the number of lorries passing through Bootle from the motorway via Switch Island.

Source: Liverpool Daily Post (http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2008/01/21/vital-rail-link-could-help-ease-road-congestion-64375-20373522/)

switch island could be made easier with a big flyover and re-engineering of the lights system, however what are the real links direct to liverpool / london ,? flight direct is still not the best, this train route seems to be a bit of an answer and the rest is road / also i don't know what percentage needs to go to london, exports can go direct to certain european / british cities via flight / rail , are we sitting in a cul de sac ,