MERSEYRAIL PROTEST FOR NEW LINES!!

[oritelad]

COME ON GUYS ITS ABOUT TIME WE ALL GOT TOGETHER INSTED OF TALKING ABOUT IT AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
SINCE MERSEYRAIL TOOK OVER ALL THEY DID WAS CLOSE LINES AND IN NEARLY 40 YEARS NO NEW LINES HAVE OPENED EVEN THOUGH THE TUNNELS AND TRACKBEDAS ARE STILL THERE?
THEY WASTE MONEY ON DAFT THINGS LIKE SPENDIMG MILLIONS ON UPGRADED STATIONS SUCH AS BOOTLE ORREIL ROAD COME ON WAS THAT REALLY NEEDED ITS HARDLY USED AND IT COULD EVEN CLOSE DOWN AS BOOTLE NEW STRAND STATION IS SO NEAR AND ALL THEM MILLIONS SPENT ON JUST PLANNING FOR THE DAFT MERSEYTRAMS! LIVERPOOL USED TO HAVE TRAMS AND THEY GOT RID! SO WHY BRING THEM BACK!
WE NEED THE CITY CENTER TO HAVE MORE STATIONS BY USING THE OLD WATERLOO AND WAPPING TUNNELS THAT RUN UNDER THE CITY ALSO THE CANADA DOCK BRANCH REOPENED TO PASSANGERS AND EVEN THE NEW CITY LOOP THAT WAS BEEN DISCUSED BY MEMEBERS ON THIS SITE.

SO WHO AGREES WITH ME SHALL WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? I AM SURE THE PEOPLE OF LIVERPOOL WOULD BACK US UP AND SIGN A PENTITION SO MERSEYRAIL WILL HAVE TO LISTEN THIS TIME

[robt]

How exactly would a protest or petition help?

[Waterways]

You have to look at the plan for the city and where the city is expending/growing. In an ideal world the transport will follow the districts and cater for the population and give rapid access to anywhere.

But!!! There is disused rail infrastructure in abundance in Liverpool, and much of it runs through where districts are and are to expand. So not much of a problem there relating to disused infrastructure and the districts served - I am not going into new tram lines and the likes only disused infrastructure.

Then it is a matter of merging the disused infrastructure to Merseyrail in the areas that matter most to the city's expansion and regeneration - it must add value. In short the centre and immediate inner city districts are priority - bringing in outer loops before this add little value to the city as a whole.

Then there is the transport policy as whole. No use implementing a rail line and station if new fast roads are to be run through districts - people will not give up their cars unless near forced as is happening in London. The emphasis should be on rail, not cars - unfortunately cars still is far too great a priority. The centre must be congestion charged, predestrianised, the Dock Rd eliminated running through the centres (an urban motorway splitting the dock waterways from the city).

A coherent case then has to be submitted taking all this into account. The case for re-using the tunnels is quite easy though.

[SKie]

Merseyrail never closed down any lines, that was all the good Doctor Beeching. Merseyrail was created when the loop + link was constructed.

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)

[Waterways]

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.

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.

[Ged]

I have asked Roger Phillips to keep me informed of when he will next be having the Mersey travel spokesman on his show to answer questions. Perhaps those interested can then put their suggestions to him on air.

[Waterways]

I have asked Roger Phillips to keep me informed of when he will next be having the Mersey travel spokesman on his show to answer questions. Perhaps those interested can then put their suggestions to him on air.

Another thing about the city centre traffic, is that the Birkenhead tunnel pours out cars right into the centre - much of this does not visit the centre using the centre as a thoroughfare. That has to stop. The tunnel entrance should be diverted away from the current portal and into Scotland Rd. While work is ongoing re-boring the small diverted section, the Dock entrance at the Pier Head can be used. The current entrance can be used for emergency vehicle access, emergency vehicle parking.

[Ged]

I agree that there should only be a left turn into Dale st and Scotland Road (I think you need 2 outlets) but not the one into St. Johns lane or Whitechapel but they have now done something about the St. Johns lane outlet by banning cars from it - at Whitechapel cars have to turn right up Crosshall St.

My masterplan submitted to the council a year or two ago (and supposedly entered into a prize draw though I knew nothing about such a scheme) had a large chunk of the city centre pedestrianised - it's mayhem there - always has been.

[Waterways]

I agree that there should only be a left turn into Dale st and Scotland Road (I think you need 2 outlets) but not the one into St. Johns lane or Whitechapel but they have now done something about the St. Johns lane outlet by banning cars from it - at Whitechapel cars have to turn right up Crosshall St.

My masterplan submitted to the council a year or two ago (and supposedly entered into a prize draw though I knew nothing about such a scheme) had a large chunk of the city centre pedestrianised - it's mayhem there - always has been.

Exactly. Re-boring the tunnel exit/entrance so it emerges in Scotland Rd only is the best way. Keep that traffic away from the centre. Get people living, shopping and having fun in the centre and through cars out.

The tunnel was designed in the 1920s and no longer fits the city's needs today - in fact it is a nuisance. . That Wallasey tunnel was a joke. A high road/rail Golden Gate type of bridge from New Brighton to Bootle should have been built.

[Cadfael]

Exactly. Re-boring the tunnel exit/entrance so it emerges in Scotland Rd only is the best way. Keep that traffic away from the centre. Get people living, shopping and having fun in the centre and through cars out.



The tunnel was designed in the 1920s and no longer fits the city's needs today - in fact it is a nuisance. . That Wallasey tunnel was a joke. A high road/rail Golden Gate type of bridge from New Brighton to Bootle should have been built.

We didn't have to wait for another classic. We're still paying for the Birkenhead Tunnel hence why there are toll's there. Do you think that anyone will create a different section of tunnel linking Scotland Road on a whim?

[Ged]

What - and not a barrage?

[Waterways]

What - and not a barrage?

In the 1960s they never thought of a barrage, although the first tidal barrage was at St Malo in France in 1966. In the 1960s the traffic through the river was too intense to direct it through locks. Now that is not the case.

The barrage is still in the reckoning.

[Waterways]

We didn't have to wait for another classic.

It is a good one. Positive thing my boy.

We're still paying for the Birkenhead Tunnel hence why there are toll's there.

Which is meaningless.

Do you think that anyone will create a different section of tunnel linking Scotland Road on a whim?

Yes. It has to be. Just a small diversion, a matter of 100s of metres long, to take traffic away from the centre smoothly. Or get rid of the cars entirely and convert the tunnel to trains, trams or tram-trains. That would stop the cars altogether. You could have three lines in that tunnel, emerging in Birkenhead at two points If a barrage is built and a road crossing on that converting the tunnel to rail would be a good option. All it does is clog the centre. Look at the centre of Birkenhead. The whole centre has been widened and ripped apart to get access to that tunnel as the volume of cars increased.

Great rail tunnel with two access points on either side.

[Ged]

No need for a tunnel though to direct traffic out of the tunnel and to the left only - just close the route out to the right by closing off that roundabout exit.

[Waterways]

No need for a tunnel though to direct traffic out of the tunnel and to the left only - just close the route out to the right by closing off that roundabout exit.

Ged, best take traffic right away and develop that part around the there on a more human scale.