Ellesmere Port-Helsby line always cancelled

[sansyy]

For the last week now the 1850 helsby to Ellesmere Port service has constantly been cancelled including the 1910 Ellesmere Port to liverpool lime street and it's so frustrating. It's 2am right now and Northern already has 23 cancelled trains just for today! How do they get away with this appalling service. So fed up of having to get a taxi when the line should just be running as normal.

 

[frodshamfella]

Even with the appalling level of service they offer on this line, they cant even run that.

 

[Kite159]

It's the first to get axed, would be better if Northern simply gave up running the service and ran a replacement taxi between Ellesmere Port & Helsby calling at Ince & Elton at the times the train is meant to run. Taking a leaf out of Chiltern's book with the Wednesday only replacement bus from West Ealing to West Ruislip.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

It's been like that for the last few months with cancellation rates running at 70-80% at times. Ince & Elton is thus regularly ranked as the worst station in the country for cancellations and punctuality.

Our local MP has complained to Northern but to no avail. My understanding is that Northern would be more than happy to see the service handed over to Merseyrail.

See the thread for further discussion of this topic

Ellesmere Port - Helsby cancellations

Recenttraintimes.co.uk is showing that, over the last 3 months, the 0633 ELP-HSB ran 32 times and was cancelled 30 times 1906 ELP-HSB ran 27 times and was cancelled 36 times This level of unreliability of what is verging on a parliamentary service strikes me as disgraceful.

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Lucy1501]

There has very recently been a freedom of information request submitted to Northern on WDTK, alongside a table of all cancellations since 2020. It seems to suggest there will be some improvement soon.

Ellesmere Port to Helsby Branch Services - a Freedom of Information request to Northern Trains Limited

Over the past several months services on the Ellesmere Port to Helsby line have suffered extensive cancellations. Please provide data from the 1st of March 2020 to the present detailing all services on the line, whether they were cancelled or not, and the reasons behind cancellations. If this...

www.whatdotheyknow.com

The services in the area have been impacted by crew shortages over the last year. We now have several drivers and conductors who will be reviewing the route prior to deployment, and the recent rest day working agreement reached with drivers will be beneficial in getting these reviews completed. We continue to be contracted to run 2 services per day in each direction and we are supporting the Council who are investigating extending Merseyrail from Ellesmere Port to Helsby.

 

[Travelmonkey]

It's the first to get axed, would be better if Northern simply gave up running the service and ran a replacement taxi between Ellesmere Port & Helsby calling at Ince & Elton at the times the train is meant to run. Taking a leaf out of Chiltern's book with the Wednesday only replacement bus from West Ealing to West Ruislip.

That and the LNWR subsidy for the 101 for Wedgewood/Barlaston customers, I'm sure Stagecoach would probably be quite happy to divert the 2 or take rail passengers of they got some funding.