20 янв 2024 г. - (UK) Merseyrail battery-powered trains 'introduced too soon'

Описание:

Merseyrail's battery-powered trains may have been introduced too soon, a leading railway journalist has said.

There have been repeated problems with the new publicly owned fleet of Swiss-built trains which started running on the Kirkby line a year ago.

Journalist Tony Miles said some experts believed further testing was needed.

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram insisted the fleet had undergone "a rigorous testing process and was approved for use by the Office of Rail and Road".

The trains, which are part of the Liverpool City Region's £500m publicly owned fleet, were first introduced in January 2023 as part of a vision to become net-zero carbon by 2040.

The service has since been plagued by delays, especially on the battery-only leg to the new £80m station at Headbolt Lane, which opened in October.

Mr Rotheram has offered ticket holders refunds in recognition of the cancellations and delays.