{"id":1095513,"date":"2026-07-17T20:27:19","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T20:27:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1095513\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T20:27:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T20:27:19","slug":"merseyrail-to-be-brought-back-into-public-control-birkenhead-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1095513\/","title":{"rendered":"Merseyrail to be brought back into public control \u2013 Birkenhead News"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Trains across the Liverpool City Region will be brought back into public control in two years following a landmark move by Merseyside leaders. When the current Merseyrail concession ends in 2028, the city region\u2019s combined authority (CA) will take over the operation, which would allow decisions to be made on services at a local level.<\/strong><\/p>\n

As a result, work will now begin to form plans ahead of the existing contract ending in the next two years. Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram described the move as a \u201ctruly a historic decision for the Liverpool City Region\u201d.<\/p>\n

In keeping with the World Cup, Cllr Liam Robinson, leader of Liverpool Council, and former railway worker, cut a jubilant figure as he declared, \u201cMerseyrail\u2019s coming home\u201d. The public ownership of the network would work alongside the move to bring buses back in-house, which will begin from September.<\/p>\n

Since March, work has been ongoing to assess the legal requirements, financial implications, and operating model. This has been in partnership with the Department for Transport.<\/p>\n

It was concluded that public ownership is \u201cdeliverable, achievable, and secures the best option for securing strategic control\u201d of the network, according to the Metro Mayor. This would also allow the CA to set services to suit communities rather than for profit.<\/p>\n

Mr Rotheram said, \u201cThis is one of the most significant decisions we\u2019ll take in shaping the future of transport in this city region. It\u2019s a much bigger question than who operates the railway, it\u2019s about who it works for.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor too long, decisions about services that people rely on have been taken at an arm\u2019s length rather than the communities they affect.\u201d The Metro Mayor said it was the leaders\u2019 belief that \u201cpublic transport should work in the public interest.\u201d<\/p>\n

The decision to take public ownership of the service was not a criticism of Merseyrail, according to Mr Rotheram, which he described as the \u201cbackbone of our transport network\u201d but rather an \u201copportunity to write the next chapter of the success story\u201d.<\/p>\n

Cllr Robinson said that the \u201cmomentous\u201d decision to move toward public ownership was \u201csomething I used to dream of when I was working nights at Lime Street station and other places around this country.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added, \u201cI can give you countless examples of my working life where the interests of shareholders were always put over and above the interests of the travelling public, communities and economy that a rail network is meant to serve.\u201d While England couldn\u2019t get the job done on Wednesday, the Liverpool Council boss took great pleasure in declaring \u201cMerseyrail is coming home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Transition to public ownership will require workforce transfer arrangements, organisational design development, leadership recruitment and ongoing engagement with employees and recognised Trade Unions.<\/p>\n

Image credit: Merseyrail<\/strong><\/p>\n

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