The first of the long-awaited new Merseyrail trains could be just days away from welcoming passengers if a crunch vote is accepted next week.
The new state-of-the-art Class 777 trains are due to replace the existing Merseyrail fleet of 507 trains, with a deal for the new vehicles signed back in 2016. But the roll-out of the new models has been held up by a number of factors including the pandemic and industrial disputes.
The new trains have been built by Swiss manufacturer Stadler, but will be fully owned by the Liverpool City Region. It had been widely hoped that the first of the new trains would begin transporting people around the network before Christmas but that did not happen. However, passengers may not have much longer to wait.
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The final obstacle related to the new trains concerns an agreement being reached with the ASLEF union on terms and conditions for the drivers of the new trains. An offer has been made, which has now been balloted on and a result is expected on Tuesday.
City region bosses are hopeful this deal will be accepted and if it is then the launch of the first new trains could follow just days later. The first of the new trains will operate on the Kirkby line.
The roll-out of the trains will be done in a phased approach, with new trains gradually replacing the ageing rolling stock over a period that could run to 15 months.
Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram spoke on BBC Radio Merseyside this morning to confirm how close we could now be to having the first new trains accepting local passengers.
He said: "We are trying to work through all the difficulties we have had and it has been really hard. But we are at the final hurdle now." He referred to an appearance by ASLEF General Secretary Mick Whelan in Parliament earlier this week, which confirmed an offer from Merseyrail was now being voted on.
Mayor Rotheram added: "We will find out the results of that ballot early next week and after that we can hopefully go very, very quickly into service. Everything is in place we just need to get over this final hurdle and I've got everything crossed."
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