Merseyrail change timetables to ensure services cope with COVID impact

Merseyrail has said it is making temporary changes to its timetables to help them deliver services whilst staff are absent due to COVID-19.

The train operator is one of many which have had to make changes, as the highly-contagious Omicron variant means many staff have to self isolate. Merseyrail and others are looking to avoid last-minute cancellations of services and instead give passengers time to adjust their journeys.

Until further notice, services on all lines on the Merseyrail network will change to a 30-minute service from 17 January.

There will be pre-planned cancellations on the Merseyrail network in the days leading up to this. Further information on these can be found here.

Andy Heath, managing director at Merseyrail, said: “Our staff have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to ensure that we can provide a safe and reliable service to the people of the Liverpool City Region.

“However, as is the case on other parts of the UK rail network, the Omicron variant has significantly increased the number of front-line staff being absent from work. This means that we need to reduce the number of trains we run to ensure that our services remain reliable.

“I would advise all customers to check our website and social media feeds before they travel, and we will continue to work hard to provide the best service that we can.”

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