Makinson simply said that a new station (such as one in Tuebrook or Anfield) would cost a minimum of £12m, he did not mention the underground. But you'd like to think all the fares they receive, as well as fines, should go some way in terms of the financing! I pay £4.50 return to Liverpool from where I live. Ridiculous.
The loop line you propose does make an awful lot of sense, but I'm finding the issue of 'cut and cover' quite vague - as if it's as simple as digging a hole in the ground and covering it like a roof on a house. Perhaps I should look into this more over the internet, but also, judging by some of the photos of the Dingle Tunnel, there looks like many logistical and physical problems to overcome. And linking all the tunnels together would require new tunnel building, as the Waterloo and Wapping tunnels run underneath the Northern Line, yes? I am confused as to the depths of all these tunnels.
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The issue of unmanned stations.... I do not believe this would be a problem if there were major changes in the law and justice systems in this country. For example, massive increases in prison sentencing... armed police... but thats off-topic.
Going back to your loop line... my proposals for the future of the rail network actually involve more direct train services - I believe that trains running from major stations such as Maghull and Ormskirk (Ok, these aren't on the loop line but bear with me) should cut out minor stations such as Walton and Aughton Park (or even all of them) at peak times in order to get the commuters into Liverpool as quickly as possible, allowing the direct trains to get back to Ormskirk quickly to take in the next load. A mixture of indirect and direct services is what I'd like to see, and new stations, like some of the ones you propose on the loop line would actually only slow the journey times down.
I'm not sure if some European underground trains feel faster than Merseyrail's or whether are actually faster. They certainly feel faster, they seem to have much quicker acceleration. More stops would be useful if we had quicker trains, but Merseyrail's trains are slow accelerators.
If the trains do not increase in speed over the next 20 years, then Merseyrail should invest in more carriages, for more frequent journeys and longer trains (6-cars). I find it an insult paying £4.50 for a return when I can't even get a seat on the way home from Moorfields. They only run around two 6-car services at peak time. E.g, the 16.45 arrives 15 minutes before the big commuter rush, but still, the station is packed to the rafters and what pulls up? A 3-car train, bursting to the seams.
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