Merseyrail puts cold weather plan in place as temperatures set to plunge over night

As Liverpool prepares for a sharp drop in temperatures, Merseyrail has announced the activation of its cold weather plans to ensure the safety and reliability of its services.

With temperatures forecast to fall to -3°C overnight on Monday, November 18, the Merseyrail tracks are expected to become even colder.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for the North West, predicting snow and ice, prompting Merseyrail to implement preventative measures to keep services running smoothly.

The first service of the day on each line will therefore run without customers, enabling the rail conditions to be checked before services can begin as normal. 

However, if the predicted ice and snow fails to arrive, Merseyrail and Network Rail will work together to run as many first trains as possible. 

Customers planning to travel in the morning should check for the latest travel advice before starting their journey by using the Merseyrail app, website (https://www.merseyrail.org/) or ‘X’ account (@merseyrail).

Greg Suligowski, Head of Communications at Merseyrail, said:

“We are sorry for the disruption this cold weather will cause to our customers intending to travel on the first services tomorrow morning. We do everything possible to avoid cancelling services, but given the weather warning, it’s important we check that subsequent services can operate safely.

“Merseyrail and Network Rail teams will be out during the night, working hard to reduce the impact the forecasted weather has on the network. Ultimately the goal will be to provide a normal timetable as soon as possible.

“I’d encourage anyone wanting to travel on our first services tomorrow to check for the latest updates before heading to the station.”

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