Originally Posted by
SKie
Merseyrail never closed down any lines, that was all the good Doctor Beeching. Merseyrail was created when the loop + link was constructed.
They closed the odd one . The Gatacre Line in the early 1970s?
Though I do agree that new lines would be nice, I think they should concentrate on areas that arent served by rail currently but can be done on the 'cheap'. Re-open the bootle branch and north mersey branch, as they both pass through densely populated areas and still have tracks/links to the current lines. Then if they prove to be a success, go ahead with a bigger scheme like the re-opening of the disused tunnels (as you have a larger ridership now to help justify the expense)
If a scheme was put in place to open up these lines and tunnels, it would coincide somewhat to the re-population of the centre. Then car dissuasion, anti-pollution measures (like London have done) have to be in place: congestion charging in the city centre, removal of the urban motorway, the Dock Rd, as it passes through the city centre, stop excessive car park allocation in new blocks, etc. Then people would use the new rapid transport system.
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People will not give up cars voluntarilly, they have to be forced out of them. I have relatives who live 5 minutes walk from Spital station. They can get to Liverpool centre in stress free minutes. Each time they go they take the car through the tunnel and pay car parking. That is typical. The recent programme on trying to get people to stop using their cars only for one day in Boston, Lincolnshire showed the mentality of people and their cars - I have paid for it so I will stay in it. They will not pay for public transport when they have paid road tax. People would sit in jams for 45 mins to an hour each day rather than walk which would take them 15 minutes.
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