Media Centre

Welcome for rail cash boost: 17 November 2009; Merseytravel today welcomed Government plans to invest in £50million in ten major UK stations – of which Liverpool Central is one.

This year alone Transport Ministers including Lord Andrew Adonis, Paul Clark and Chris Mole, have been shown the challenges facing Merseytravel and its partners as Liverpool Central station tries to cope with soaring passenger numbers.

Transport Minister Lord Andrew Adonis will see it again today when he officially unveils the new travel centre MtoGo shop on Liverpool Central’s concourse.

Councillor Mark Dowd, Chair of Merseytravel, said: “This is tremendous news, something for which I have campaigned and lobbied long and hard.

“We have brought a succession of Ministers to Central Station to see the situation for themselves and our persistence has been rewarded.

“I would also like to thank Louise Ellman MP for her assistance in lobbying Government on our behalf.

“Central Station is the busiest station on our network, with up to 60,000 passengers a day, and Merseytravel will contribute to the funding package to ensure it becomes a showcase on one of the country’s best performing rail networks.”

Councillor Chris Blakeley, Chair of Merseytravel’s Rail Services Committee, said: “Over £130 million has been invested in Merseyrail Electrics during the past 15 years.

“Earlier this year we became the first fully secure stations network in the UK and we will strive to ensure it continues to be a network of which we can be justifiably proud.”; Back to Media Centre