Merseyrail Penalty Fares

[Polarbear]

Not sure if this is in the correct section.

From 15 June, Merseyrail will cease to sell tickets on any of their trains. From that date, all stations, (including the four unstaffed stations it appears), will fall under the Merseyrail penalty fares area.

Merseyrail have recently installed ticket machines at Capenhurst & Bache & I assume they have also put these in at the other unstaffed stations as well. In addition, each of these stations now has what can best be described as an information point. These include a button & dispenser system for a "permit to travel" ticket, though as there is no mechanisim for making payment for this, these will be free of charge.

Helpfully, the new system has an automated annoucement built into it! This seems to react when movement is detected on the platform. The speech is short but gets repeated every time you so much as sneeze on the platform.

Although the information on the ticket machines state that the "full range" of fares would be available from 1 June 2009, only a limited selection was available this morning when I checked the machine at Bache.

Bache did have a ticket machine for a while in BR days. It was eventually removed as it kept breaking down & being vandalised.

It will be interesting to see how the penalty fares are enforced after June 15, given 25 years of people being used to hopping on the train & buying on board or at the other end, (or indeed, not at all). For me, the penalty fares aspect is not being made terribly clear & I'm a regular traveller who takes the time to read the posters. Also, given the ticket machines have only been up & running for less than a month at the date of implementation of the full penalty fares scheme, I think a lot of people will inadvertently get caught out by this.

I think it's a good idea in principal, but I think there should have been a much longer lead time between providing a ticket issuing facility & the introduction of a strict PF system.

 

[tony_mac]

their website still says that penalty fares do not apply from those stations and the station information says

This is an unstaffed station please purchase a ticket on the train

I assume that they will change it at some point, but there isn't really any excuse for leaving it so late.

 

[First class]

I think 4 weeks is more than sufficient.

The machines have been there for a while, the ticket inspectors are there during the peak advising people, there are automated announcements at these stations when movement is sensed, posters everywhere on the stations, the guards make on-board announcements and barrier staff in Liverpool have been instructed to tell passengers to buy before they board.

A lot of deliberate fare evasion happens at Capenhurst, where people just jump down 1 stop to Bache (and reverse), or go to Ellesmere Port somewhere else unstaffed. I can see a lot of PFs being issued here, but I think there will be more PACE jobs than anything else.

As for the website, I will get that changed asap.


Ooh, and the PF will be rising to £50 by the end of the year

 

[Mojo]

I can see a lot of PFs being issued here, but I think there will be more PACE jobs than anything else.

Good, I think all genuine fare evaders should be sent to court rather than being let off under the scam of a Penalty Fares system.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Good, I think all genuine fare evaders should be sent to court rather than being let off under the scam of a Penalty Fares system.

On the other hand, Merseyrail have fined me twice under the system, both times I've been innocent, appealed and been reimbursed.

 

[Mojo]

Ooh, and the PF will be rising to £50 by the end of the year

Unless the legislation has been changed since they last increased the Penalty Fare from £10 to £20, then there will need to be a DfT consultation in order to change the PF amount.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/archive/2004/arpfr/amendmentofrailwayspenaltyfa1112?page=8 is information from last time and it came to the conclusion that a high amount would be difficult to enforce.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

On the other hand, Merseyrail have fined me twice under the system, both times I've been innocent, appealed and been reimbursed.

Do you mean you got a Penalty Fare? Merseyrail don't have the power to "fine" people.

In which case, then you should have no problems with my proposal as I am against the Penalty Fares regime (although not in principle).

 

[glynn80]

Good, I think all genuine fare evaders should be sent to court rather than being let off under the scam of a Penalty Fares system.

Bloody scam alright, the "Independant Penalty Fares Appeals Service" being own by one of the TOCs themselves.

Twice when appealing a PF for travelling without a ticket from my local station, which does not have a working PTT machine, only a TVM which does not issue PRIV tickets, have IPFAS come back to me with "the NRCoC states you must have a valid ticket before you board" and that basically they are going to keep the full single fare I have paid and that they will "let me off this time". Both times I have felt it pointless to reply for the sake of £1.50 just to prove a point.

The DfT state that in their Penalty Fares Policy (http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/legislation/pf/penaltyfarespolicya?page=7):

Independence
The organisation deciding the appeals must be, and must be seen to be, independent of the day-to-day commercial management of individual operators. The cost of this organisation should be met by the operators, as it is part of the cost of using penalty fares as a way of protecting revenue. However, the funding of the appeals organisation should be independent of whether it accepts or turns down the appeals it processes.

This is clearly not the case with IPFAS in my opinion. Being owned by London & South Eastern Railway Limited which is part of the Go Ahead Group who themselves operate three TOCs . Two of the three TOCs in question use IPFAS as their Penalty Appeals Service (the alternative being Independant Revenue Collection & Support [IAS] who are completely independent of the TOCs) the only one that doesn't is London Midland whose predecessors Silverlink and Central Trains used IRCAS before amalgamation into the new franchise.

Bear in mind that IPFAS also has no telephone number to ring for clarification or advice and will only answer correspondence sent to a Royal Mail Sorting Office PO Box in London Bridge. They are completely and utterly opaque as an organisation.

 

[Mojo]

I found that the PF scheme FGW introduced in the Bristol area was also pretty much unenforcable under those rules and was going to make a formal complaint to the DfT on behalf of a few organisations I represent, but FGW solved that problem by effectively abolishing their revenue protection department.

 

[First class]

their website still says that penalty fares do not apply from those stations and the station information says


I assume that they will change it at some point, but there isn't really any excuse for leaving it so late.

All now updated:

This station is equipped with CCTV, public telephone, help points, waiting shelters and an induction loop system. This is an unstaffed station with an automatic ticket vending machine and instructions on how to use it on the platform. If you choose not to buy a ticket and are stopped by an authorised member of staff, you may be subject to a penalty fare of at least £20. Please note, no overnight parking is permitted at any time.

 

[nedchester]

All now updated:

This station is equipped with CCTV, public telephone, help points, waiting shelters and an induction loop system. This is an unstaffed station with an automatic ticket vending machine and instructions on how to use it on the platform. If you choose not to buy a ticket and are stopped by an authorised member of staff, you may be subject to a penalty fare of at least £20. Please note, no overnight parking is permitted at any time.

The overnight parking thing really bugs me. For example if I decide to drive to the station to go to Liverpool for a drink and then want to leave my car at the station and pick it up the next day then I can't. Merseyrail are effectively encouraging me to drink and drive!! (OK a bit over the top but you get the picture). I do note that there are often cars left overnight at Hooton so is this rule strictly enforced??

Of course in reality I'm only a 10 minute walk so I always walk to the station and back.

 

[First class]

The car park at Hooton belongs to the Council, you have to pay. It's not a Merseyrail car park.

But yes, it is strictly enforced. Carlisle Security go to all the stations throughout the night regularly checking. it's a fixed penalty of £60.

 

[nedchester]

The car park at Hooton belongs to the Council, you have to pay. It's not a Merseyrail car park.

But yes, it is strictly enforced. Carlisle Security go to all the stations throughout the night regularly checking. it's a fixed penalty of £60.

But the Merseyrail website says no overnight parking allowed at Hooton!

http://www.merseyrail.org/stations/?iStationId=35

I think it is a bit over the top for "security" to go round car parks fining people for parking at the station. Any reason for this policy?

 

[Tom B]

All now updated:

This station is equipped with CCTV, public telephone, help points, waiting shelters and an induction loop system. This is an unstaffed station with an automatic ticket vending machine and instructions on how to use it on the platform. If you choose not to buy a ticket and are stopped by an authorised member of staff, you may be subject to a penalty fare of at least £20. Please note, no overnight parking is permitted at any time.

By that wording, surely (in the event of a broken machine) you can't be fined, since you are not choosing not to buy a ticket, the company is doing it for you.

 

[Polarbear]

I'd wondered about the point raised by the previous poster too.

Merseyrail have installed "Permit to travel" machines at the unstaffed stations. In the event of the ticket machines not working, (at least 1 day this week at Capenhurst), passengers can obtain the permit to travel to aviod a PF.

However, if Merseyrail are no longer selling tickets on board trains, how are customers expected to swap their permit to travel for a ticket?

A lot of deliberate fare evasion happens at Capenhurst, where people just jump down 1 stop to Bache (and reverse), or go to Ellesmere Port somewhere else unstaffed. I can see a lot of PFs being issued here, but I think there will be more PACE jobs than anything else.

Oh I agree - lots of free travel takes place on the southern end of the Merseyrail network at the moment. Hopefully the new PF policy will deter some of the less welcome elements of society being a pain on the train!

 

[First class]

The permit is supposed to be presented to a TTI or barrier staff. Also it's a free permit, i.e. you don't pay anything- it just proves where you boarded The guard will still do a ticket check but will advise you to buy your ticket once you leave the train at the station. You are being trusted to present it to whatever station you go to and not run away. However, Plain Clothes inspectors do operate and if you did that you would get PACEd. If a TI stops you he will exchange your permit for a travel ticket.

If you don't have a ticket/permit, you're getting off the train. No ticket- no ride policy.

 

[Mojo]

So are guards still checking tickets but just not selling them - simply telling people who boarded at a station with a staffed ticket office or working ticket machine and who don't have a ticket or permit to disembark at the next station?

 

[nedchester]

So are guards still checking tickets but just not selling them - simply telling people who boarded at a station with a staffed ticket office or working ticket machine and who don't have a ticket or permit to disembark at the next station?

Guards still issuing tickets this morning I'm pretty sure. Bought mine from the machine this morning although the bloke who followed me was complaining that it wouldn't accept cards. The permit to travel machine wasn't working at all. Are they both supposed to be working?

 

[First class]

From 15 June, you will not be able to buy your ticket on the train. The Permit isn't getting switched on until then either.

Just to advise you, Electron and Solo cards are NOT valid methods of payment and you will be liable for a Penalty Fare if you claim the machine "isn't working" because of this. Even Lime Street mainline doesn't accept these.

If you had another card, just be advised until about 9am(ish) yesterday the entire IT network went down on Merseyrail.

And yes, they will be told to get of the train at the next station. Told to buy a ticket, and get the one after.

 

[nedchester]

From 15 June, you will not be able to buy your ticket on the train. The Permit isn't getting switched on until then either.

Just to advise you, Electron and Solo cards are NOT valid methods of payment and you will be liable for a Penalty Fare if you claim the machine "isn't working" because of this. Even Lime Street mainline doesn't accept these.

If you had another card, just be advised until about 9am(ish) yesterday the entire IT network went down on Merseyrail.

And yes, they will be told to get of the train at the next station. Told to buy a ticket, and get the one after.

I'd paid with cash (no problem) but the chap behind was trying to buy a ticket from Capenhurst to a station beyond Liverpool. Think in the end he had enough cash to get to Liverpool???

Are you saying that if the machine doesn't accept cards then they are required to get off the train at the next stop? Surely they should just get a 'free' Permit to Travel and present it at the station they get off?

Also am I right in saying that I can have a Permit to travel OR a ticket from the machine. Just asking cos one machine is on one platform and another on the other?

Also I assume if I want to buy something like a Cheshire Day Ranger or Rover then I get a Permit to Travel and present it at the ticket office of a manned station?

 

[First class]

If the TVM works, you have to buy a ticket. Not a Permit to Travel.

If the cards aren't working, (and it isn't an Electron or Solo card), you get a permit to travel. If it is an Electron, then you have no valid method of payment so you will be booted of the train (or PACEd), regardless of whether you have a permit or not as you have no valid method to purchase a ticket at the next oppertunity.

As for other tickets, you buy a ticket to your destination, and that ticket cost is deducted from whatever other ticket you buy. E.g. a ranger, buy a ticket to Liverpool Central and the £4.40 will be deducted from the new ticket cost.

 

[glynn80]

As for other tickets, you buy a ticket to your destination, and that ticket cost is deducted from whatever other ticket you buy. E.g. a ranger, buy a ticket to Liverpool Central and the £4.40 will be deducted from the new ticket cost.

Are you sure this is the case, surely to deduct one ticket's value from another, the original ticket purchased would have to be refunded, refund forms filled in etc.

Also with experience from other TOCs, they state that once a ticket has been used (even partially), it cannot be refunded regardless of whether you then purchase a new ticket to cover the journey you have just undertaken.

EDIT:

The NRCoC states the following on the issues:

3. Where the full range of tickets is not available
If you cannot buy an appropriate ticket for the journey you want to make because the range of tickets that is available at the station from which you intend to start your journey is restricted, you must buy a ticket or Permit to Travel before you travel that entitles you to make at least part of the journey. Then you must, as soon as is reasonably practicable, buy an appropriate ticket to complete your journey. In these circumstances, you only need to pay the fare that you would have paid if you had bought a ticket immediately before your journey. The price you will have to pay will be reduced by the amount paid for the ticket or Permit to Travel

Now under these rules, you would be not be "expected" to purchase a ticket you could just to obtain a "free" Permit to Travel and then when it is "reasonably practicable", exchange this Permit to Travel for the Rover/Ranger etc.

Purchasing a ticket to the first place you expect to have a ticket office doesn't seem good advice to me at all, what if I arrive at Liverpool to find the ticket office there closed, do I then purchase another ticket to the next station on my journey I think "may" have an open ticket office and so on until I find an open ticket office and exchange a whole multitude of tickets for the Rover I originally intended to buy.

Although I do see in the NRCoC, you can deduct the value of the ticket you've purchased for the original ticket you required. I just wasn't sure of the accounting procedures involved in such transactions.

 

[nedchester]

If the TVM works, you have to buy a ticket. Not a Permit to Travel.

If the cards aren't working, (and it isn't an Electron or Solo card), you get a permit to travel. If it is an Electron, then you have no valid method of payment so you will be booted of the train (or PACEd), regardless of whether you have a permit or not as you have no valid method to purchase a ticket at the next oppertunity.

As for other tickets, you buy a ticket to your destination, and that ticket cost is deducted from whatever other ticket you buy. E.g. a ranger, buy a ticket to Liverpool Central and the £4.40 will be deducted from the new ticket cost.

Cheers thanks for that. I assume that you work for Merseyrail, hence your considerable knowledge on this subject.

I for one am pretty glad that Merseyrail have fitted these machines because it's been a pain in a**e having to go to Chester or Hooton to buy tickets in advance (yes I know I could excess up at Chester/Liverpool on the day but sometimes you don't have time on a tight connection!)

Also whilst I'm here you didn't mention why Merseyrail had a policy of no overnight parking. Just seems an odd one?

 

[First class]

Quite simple.

Contractors need places to park their cars/vans/machines. Most engineering occurs throughout the night.

Mainly about access for emergencies and planned works. I would also imagine that Merseyrail would like to discourage certain young teenage drivers from parking up here in the night who might like to cause damage/annoyance.

Another example of why to prohibit overnight parking- Northern's Delamere car park is a 'swinging' site. This isn't really what Merseyrail wants on their turf- although I'm sure this isn't actually a company policy...

So there's quite a few reasons behind it- and quite honestly I'm not 100% on the rest, but access certainly is one. Email Customer Relations if you want a better explanation...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Are you sure this is the case, surely to deduct one ticket's value from another, the original ticket purchased would have to be refunded, refund forms filled in etc.

Also with experience from other TOCs, they state that once a ticket has been used (even partially), it cannot be refunded regardless of whether you then purchase a new ticket to cover the journey you have just undertaken.

EDIT:

The NRCoC states the following on the issues:


Now under these rules, you would be not be "expected" to purchase a ticket you could just to obtain a "free" Permit to Travel and then when it is "reasonably practicable", exchange this Permit to Travel for the Rover/Ranger etc.

Purchasing a ticket to the first place you expect to have a ticket office doesn't seem good advice to me at all, what if I arrive at Liverpool to find the ticket office there closed, do I then purchase another ticket to the next station on my journey I think "may" have an open ticket office and so on until I find an open ticket office and exchange a whole multitude of tickets for the Rover I originally intended to buy.

Although I do see in the NRCoC, you can deduct the value of the ticket you've purchased for the original ticket you required. I just wasn't sure of the accounting procedures involved in such transactions.

It is not an accounting problem. Although I am unsure whether staff would be able to do it- they should.

They would have to create a manual fare, using the ticket from an unstaffed station. They would tick the 'Is this a non-issue?' box. They would insert the ticket and it would void it. The retailers cash float is now £4.40 in surplus, because the machine has added it from the non-issue.

The retailer would then issue the ranger/rover and deduct the £4.40 from the total cost, and simply charge the passenger the amended amount.

I am fairly sure that Merseyrail will not do anything to passengers who obtain a permit (for a ticket type that the TVM won't issue)- and it's a fairly grey area in my opinion. Although this is the much easier option- i can't confirm this is technically valid.

I'll try and get in touch with our Fares and Products Manager- but obviously he won't be in until Monday morning. I'll get a statement from him.

 

[nedchester]

Quite simple.

Contractors need places to park their cars/vans/machines. Most engineering occurs throughout the night.

Mainly about access for emergencies and planned works. I would also imagine that Merseyrail would like to discourage certain young teenage drivers from parking up here in the night who might like to cause damage/annoyance.

Another example of why to prohibit overnight parking- Northern's Delamere car park is a 'swinging' site. This isn't really what Merseyrail wants on their turf- although I'm sure this isn't actually a company policy...

So there's quite a few reasons behind it- and quite honestly I'm not 100% on the rest, but access certainly is one. Email Customer Relations if you want a better explanation...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


It is not an accounting problem. Although I am unsure whether staff would be able to do it- they should.

They would have to create a manual fare, using the ticket from an unstaffed station. They would tick the 'Is this a non-issue?' box. They would insert the ticket and it would void it. The retailers cash float is now £4.40 in surplus, because the machine has added it from the non-issue.

The retailer would then issue the ranger/rover and deduct the £4.40 from the total cost, and simply charge the passenger the amended amount.

I am fairly sure that Merseyrail will not do anything to passengers who obtain a permit (for a ticket type that the TVM won't issue)- and it's a fairly grey area in my opinion. Although this is the much easier option- i can't confirm this is technically valid.

I'll try and get in touch with our Fares and Products Manager- but obviously he won't be in until Monday morning. I'll get a statement from him.

Thanks for the reply re the car parking. Makes sense although I would hope that the signs re overnight parking were a little clearer than they are at present (written on a small notice in the car park). Quite a few might get caught out...........

I suspect that the Permit to Travel option when trying to buy a ranger / rover would be easier for not only the passenger but also the ticket office. It appears to be in the Conditions of Carriage so must be OK? In fact last year turned up at Hooton (Penalty fare stop) to buy a Cheshire Day Ranger. They'd just had a power failure. I was told to get on the train. Guard came round told him I wanted a Cheshire Day Ranger and he told me to get it at Lime Street, which I did; no problem.

Anyway can't stay on here all day got to get myself up to Delamere later in the car...........................!

 

[First class]

Hi,

Had a shocking email from the Customer Relations Manager this morning.

Basically, I asked her to confirm the arrangements that people with warrants, privs and passengers wanting rovers, rangers etc were supposed to do when getting on from one of these unstaffed stations. This was her response:

Thank you for your recent email. I have spoken to our Projects Manager who informs me that customers can purchase the full range of tickets, for journeys from A to B. However, tickets such as Rovers, etc are zonal tickets, and are therefore not available from the ticket machines. In addition to this, Priv tickets are not available from the machine, and customers are not able to exchange travel warrants or vouchers. Customers wishing to purchase such tickets must make provision to purchase them in advance from a staffed station. Anyone who boards a train without first purchasing a valid ticket, will be liable to pay a £20.00 fine.

A manager is basically telling me that we expect passengers to have to travel to the nearest staffed station to purchase tickets to travel from their original nearest station, or risk being Penalty Fared?

My Response:

Dear Merseyrail,

Thank you for your recent response.

I however, would like to point out that under the Penalty Fare Rules 2002, a penalty fare cannot be charged in the following circumstances:

(7 Circumstances in which a penalty fare may not be charged)
3. An authorised collector must not charge a penalty fare under rule 6.2 if any of the following circumstances applied at the station where the person joined the relevant train.
a. There were no facilities available to issue the appropriate ticket or other authority for the journey which that person wanted to make.

7. Except when he or she is applying rule 6.7, an authorised collector must not charge a penalty fare if this would conflict with the 'rights given to the person by the National Rail Conditions of Carriage.

The National Rail Conditions of Carriage specify:


3. Where the full range of tickets is not available

If you cannot buy an appropriate ticket for the journey you want to make because

the range of tickets that is available at the station from which you intend to start

your journey is restricted, you must buy a ticket or Permit to Travel before you travel

that entitles you to make at least part of the journey. Then you must, as soon as is

reasonably practicable, buy an appropriate ticket to complete your journey. In these

circumstances, you only need to pay the fare that you would have paid if you had

bought a ticket immediately before your journey. The price you will have to pay will

be reduced by the amount paid for the ticket or Permit to Travel.

Therefore if Merseyrail charged a Penalty Fare who wanted ticket types that were unavailable then Merseyrail would be in breach of two governing policies and the passenger who receives a Penalty Fare would win at appeal.

It is up for the TOC to provide the facilities to the passenger, as opposed to the passenger having to go looking for a ticket.

Additionally, under the NRCoC, it would appear that if I wanted an All Line Rail Rover, I could purchase a ticket from Bache to Liverpool, and the cost of that ticket should be deducted from the rover. Can you provide any assurances that retailers are aware of:

a) How they do this
b) That they should do this

I would also like to point out that a Penalty Fare could not be charged for 'No Supporting Document' where a photocard is not present with a season ticket purchased from one of your unstaffed stations, as for the same reason, (a. There were no facilities available to issue the appropriate ticket or other authority for the journey which that person wanted to make.)

It is a positive that you are working to enable the Xmas Cracker tickets at TVMs.

From my interpretation of the rules, you MAY NOT charge a Penalty Fare if:

1) A passenger holds a Warrant/RTV as a method of payment
2) A passenger holds a Priv and wants to obtain a discounted ticket
3) A passenger wants a ticket type that is unavailable from a machine
4) A passenger does NOT hold a supporting document as it is unavailable from the station

Can you please re-consider your response as it concerning Merseyrail appear to be claiming anybody getting on a train without a ticket can be charged a PF, when quite clearly there are many exeptions.


Thank you.

 

[yorkie]

I'm amazed they said that. I am also surprised that they admit penalty fares are a "fine", given that they are not allowed to fine people and ATOC claim that a penalty fare isn't a fine.

I'd expect staff to strike if they are threatened with penalty fares by their own TOC in such circumstances. I don't normally support strikes but I'd support one on Merseyrail, if these claims are true.

 

[scrapy]

I'm amazed they said that. I am also surprised that they admit penalty fares are a "fine", given that they are not allowed to fine people and ATOC claim that a penalty fare isn't a fine.

I'd expect staff to strike if they are threatened with penalty fares by their own TOC in such circumstances. I don't normally support strikes but I'd support one on Merseyrail, if these claims are true.

Merseyrail and Northern staff get free travel on Merseyrail. They do not need to buy priv tickets, so will not get a fine off their own TOC. If they forget their pass, im sure their line manager will be able to get any penalty fare quashed.

 

[Polarbear]

Well my commute so far this week has seen a marked lack of ticket checks between Bache & Bootle New Strand. Before full PF started, I had my Railpass checked pretty much every day between Bache & Hooton but no one seems too interested now.

There were however, a couple of inspectors on my southbound train this afternoon. I expect Merseyrail will have to step up patrols of the southern end of their network if they are going to enforce the rules.

I note that the audable warnings at Bache are not working at present, and haven't been since Monday - somewhat ironically.:roll: Also, having read all of the posters put up at Bache regarding the new PF rules, I cannot see anything to tell customers that in the event of the ticket machine not working, that they need to obtain a permit to travel. Yes the permit to travel machine is there, but there's nothing to suggest it's working & certainly nothing to direct cutomers to it, (or explain the procedures in detail). I've no doubt the ticket machine will expire as I remember what happened to the one installed by Regional Railways at the Bache some years ago!

Whilst I'm all for robust revenue protection, I'm getting the impression that this particular application of the PF rules hasn't been thought through.

 

[nedchester]

And yes no grip today on my return journey from Capenhurst to Rock Ferry. Notice that the permit to travel machine wasn't working as I tried to get it to issue one (out of interest although I'd already got my ticket from the TVM)

Two inspectors appeared to get on at Hooton on my return journey but didn't come down the train..........

 

[First class]

As the Liverpool Central booking office is currently closed, and people don't seem to notice the 'temporary one' located inside the shopping mall- most of the Ticket Inspectors are there selling tickets on their excess pads.

The 1 TVM there is getting battered!

For those who don't know, LVC is getting a bigger travel centre than Lime Street Mainline, but in the M2Go format- i.e. a newsagents combined with a travel shop. There will be 6 ticket counters always staffed in peak, an Excess window and 4 TVMs. Specific counters for Advance tickets, Season/PTE tickets and Tickets for Immediate Travel are to be installed.

On a temporary basis, i.e. until August 2009 whilst this new centre is built, the B/O is located in a shopping centre opposite a Sainsbury's.

After the new travel centre/shop is built- another 6 ticket barriers will be installed, an increase of 100%. There will be extensive restructuring work as High Capacity lifts are also being installed which involve remodelling the Northern and Wirral lines. Planned closures should be expected.

It's already busier than Lime Street Mainline so I suppose it deserves a good refresh. Could do with some direct services to Preston/Wigan/Wrexham/North Wales though.