Every day, Merseytravel is making it easier for people who live and work in, and visit, Merseyside to get to where they want to go easily and cost-effectively.
Its aim is to provide a single integrated transport network, which is accessible to everyone.
Services
Merseytravel plays a vital role in four forms of transport. Amongst many accolades, Merseytravel has achieved Centre of Excellence status for integrated public transport, integrated public transport planning and most recently delivery of public transport schemes. It has also been voted Passenger Transport Authority of the Year for 2004 and 2005.
Buses
Merseytravel provides funding for vital public transport services that people need but which cannot be run profitably. Merseytravel also provides, maintains and improves bus stops, shelters, stations and timetable information and staffs every bus station from when the first bus arrives until the last bus leaves.
In recent years Merseytravel has been working with local communities, local authorities and employment services to provide subsidised services specifically to help the unemployed find jobs in areas of economic growth, even to the extent of crossing boundaries.
Merseytravel works with a number of European partners in pioneering pilot projects exploring alternative fuels such as gas and electricity.
Merseyside is only one of nine national ‘trailblazers’ of Clear Zones, which seek to create better urban areas where traffic congestion, noise and pollution are minimised by using innovative technology and ideas.
As part of its commitment, Merseytravel has introduced the city centre circular CATCH (Clean Accessible Transport for Community Health) bus, which operates a circular route through all the main areas of Liverpool city centre. Funded by the European Union, the CATCH buses promote the improvement of local air quality.
Merseytravel has also introduced an Environmental Management System, aimed at reviewing and improving, wherever possible, the environmental performance of all its operations.
Merseytravel is currently the lead agency in the trans-national ‘PARTNER Project’, which looks at the development of sustainable transport across European cities. The groundbreaking EU-supported project involves key agencies in six cities in five countries in Europe all bordering the Atlantic, including Liverpool and the North West UK, Belfast, Dublin, La Rochelle and Rochefort in France and Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
The PARTNER project aims to boost international co-operation and to give agencies a platform to share experiences and look at ways to resolve common transport problems.
The fact that Merseyside’s ITA and PTE are joined up means that Merseytravel can take a co-ordinated approach to tackling social exclusion. Thanks to innovative thinking and hands on community involvement Merseytravel is pioneering new methods of targeting hard to reach groups and pockets of severe deprivation in an attempt to promote and improve awareness of public transport.
Merseytravel has a very active Community Links team, it has pioneered the TravelSafe partnership and the JobLink service and is continuing to develop new Smartcard technologies and close involvement in key partnerships (such as the Housing Market Renewal Initiative).
Trains
The Merseyrail network covers more than 80 stations, with over 34 million passenger journeys being made on the network each year.
In July 2003 Merseytravel assumed full powers over the performance, investment and consumer protection for the Merseyrail Electrics franchise.
Uniquely in the UK, the Merseyrail franchise is awarded by Merseytravel rather than the Strategic Rail Authority, because the franchise is self-contained and largely separate from the rest of the British railway network. This coincided with the letting of a unique 25-year concession to Serco NedRailways.
Merseytravel is currently working to establish greater local control over the track and the stations through something called full local decision-making.
A business case has been submitted to the government under the plans, which could see Merseytravel take over responsibility for the railway tracks, the stations and signals on Merseyrail’s Wirral and Northern Lines from Network Rail.
The plans would enable Merseytravel to find make local decisions on local solutions to local problems on the rail network.
The concession for the services of the northern franchise was awarded to Northern Rail in 2004 and covers services on the City Line.
Recently, a programme of refurbishment of 59 trains units has been completed at a cost of more than £34 million.
Merseytravel’s largest current construction project, Liverpool South Parkway, is also set to provide a direct rail link to Liverpool John Lennon Airport for millions of people from across the North of England and the Midlands, as well as access to the 11,000 jobs planned for the area.
Merseyrail Electrics is now regularly the best performing train-operating company in mainland UK. Merseytravel has also been very successful in the “Secure Stations” initiative, with around 40 per cent of all stations meeting the tough national standards. Merseyside has also seen the first Community Support Officers on the rail network in the UK.
Ferries
Mersey Ferries, which are owned by Merseytravel, have been totally repositioned to become the region’s most popular paid-for tourist attraction as well as a convenient way to cross the Mersey.
Merseytravel has completed the multi-million pound refurbishment of all three ferries as well as Seacombe Ferry Terminal. Plans are also underway to continue to improve the area’s two other ferry terminals.
Merseytravel operates Mersey Ferries running a daily commuter service across the River Mersey as well as very successful tourist cruises and attractions at the terminals, including the £10million ‘Spaceport’ venture, a hugely successful new space-themed attraction, which is closely linked to the National Schools Observatory, the international telescope specialists Telescope Technologies Limited and Starchaser, Britain’s own space race team.
Tunnels
Up to 95,000 vehicles per day cross under the River Mersey via the two Mersey road tunnels, which have been put on a firm financial footing by the passing of the Mersey Tunnels Act.
Merseytravel has also made the tunnel’s safe environment even safer with the completion of a very important safety project in the Queensway Tunnel. The project involved the creation of a series of new escape chambers, which are available to tunnels users in the event of an incident.
Other Services
- Easy to use, pre-paid travel tickets;
- Free travel for the elderly or those who have long term mobility problems or disabilities;
- The Merseylink dial-a-ride service; and
- Traveline Merseyside giving out information 364 days a year between 0800 and 2000.
Future developments
Over the next 10 years, Merseytravel will be completing an ambitious programme of improvement and development works to provide a single, integrated public transport network accessible to all, as well as helping to tackle climate change by reducing car dependent lifestyles. Working with partners and stakeholders, Merseytravel is committed to promoting walking, cycling and public transport use to improve quality of life in the Liverpool European city region and beyond.
10-year strategy includes
Improved printed and electronic information giving passengers access to better information before and during their journey;
A proposed three line tram network – an integral part of Merseytravel’s efforts to deliver an enhanced public transport network over time; A new fleet of trains for the Merseyrail network with refurbished trains in the interim; Enhanced public transport interchange and rail-based park and ride facilities; Bus priority schemes across the city region including 90km of bus lanes; and The progression of new long-term bus and rail strategies for the Liverpool European city region.