Headbolt Lane railway station

Headbolt Lane is a future railway station in the Towerhill/Northwood area of Kirkby in Merseyside, North West England. The opening of a station in the area has been an objective of the local authority since 1972[2] and detailed plans have been under development since at least 2013.[1] Planning permission was granted in December 2021, with construction due to commence in January 2022. It is anticipated that the station will open in Spring 2023.[1]

Headbolt Lane
National Rail
General information
LocationKirkby, Knowsley
England
Grid referenceSJ417999
Managed byMerseyrail
Transit authorityMerseytravel
Platforms3[1]
Key dates
2022
2023		Construction began
Scheduled opening

Once opened, the station will become the interchange between the Merseyrail Northern Line and unelectrified Kirkby-Wigan line, currently operated by Northern Trains.[1]

History

Although the station was initially planned to act as a new Merseyrail terminus, the Electrification Task force declared the Kirkby to Salford Crescent via Wigan line to be a Tier 1 priority for electrification in 2015[3][4] which, if followed through, might enable the extension of Merseyrail services beyond Headbolt Lane.

Plans were devised by Merseytravel and Lancashire County Council to extend Merseyrail to serve Skelmersdale.[5] In 2017, the two authorities commissioned an initial £5 million feasibility study into establishing the new rail link and an intermediate station at Headbolt Lane.[5] Initial estimates suggested that it would cost around £300 million and would take up to a decade to deliver.[5]

In August 2019, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority announced that part of an agreed £172m funding package for the region would be used to fund the construction of the new station.[2][6] The Combined Authority approved that the first £3.3 million of funding for the project in July 2020, before signing off a further £66 million in March 2021.[1]

The station is designed to be built with three fully accessible platforms with accommodation for future Merseyrail extension to Skelmersdale.[1][7] A 300 space car park and bus interchange is a part of the plan.[1]

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority announced in July 2021 that after a trial of a battery electric multiple unit (BEMU) version of the new Class 777, it will serve the new station on opening.[8] This will not require the line extension to Headbolt Lane to be electrified.

The Department for Transport announced in July 2022 that it was rejecting the Strategic Outline Business Case for an extension to Skelmersdale.[9] The DfT instead suggested that better bus links with the Kirkby–Wigan rail line would be a cheaper way of improving connectivity for Skelmersdale.

References
  1. Rand, Lisa (9 December 2021). "Kirkby to get new train station which will be 'UK first' after plans approved - Liverpool Echo". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 9 December 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. Lally, Kate (7 November 2019). "Kirkby will get new train station before the Baltic Triangle". liverpoolecho. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  3. Rudgard, Olivia (5 March 2015). "Two Merseyside lines prioritised for electrification". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  4. "Place North West | Priority electrification routes sent to Government". Place North West. 6 March 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  5. Houghton, Alistair (18 September 2017). "Skelmersdale rail link moves step closer as £5m funding revealed". liverpoolecho. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  6. Tyrrell, Nick (30 August 2019). "Merseyside set to get two new train stations and replacement ferries". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  7. "Kirkby Headbolt Lane station scheme moves a step closer with £3.3m funding secured and CGI images are unveiled".
  8. "Battery breakthrough will see Merseyrail network extended". 21 July 2021.
  9. Lopez, Jamie (8 July 2022). "Skelmersdale rail station plan rejected in decision branded a 'cruel joke'". LancsLive. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
  Planned services  
Kirkby   Merseyrail
Northern Line		   Terminus
Terminus   Northern Trains
Kirkby branch line		   Rainford
  Proposed future services  
Kirkby   Merseyrail
Northern Line		   Rainford



This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.