Major Rail Closure Expected on Merseyrail's Southport Line in August

Passengers travelling on Merseyrail’s Southport line are being advised of a rail closure in August while Network Rail replaces a bridge crossing the River Alt in Formby.

From Monday 19 to Friday 23 August 2024, engineers will replace the 110-year-old bridge with a new concrete structure, making sure it is safe and reliable for years to come.

While the £3.5m project takes place, train services are unable to run between Hall Road and Formby.

Buses will operate between these two stations, calling at all stops. There will also be non-stop buses running between Southport and Hall Road.

Chris Penny, scheme project manager at Network Rail, said: “I’d like to thank Merseyrail passengers for their patience while we replace the bridge across the River Alt in Formby.

“I’m also grateful to the local community who live near the bridge for their understanding. We will do all we can to keep disruption to an absolute minimum during the work.”
Suzanne Grant, chief commercial officer and deputy managing director at Merseyrail, said: “We’re sorry that customer journeys will be affected by this engineering work. However, the bridge replacement is essential.

“We have put a comprehensive rail replacement bus service in place, which will help customers get to where they need to be. During these essential works, customers should allow more time for their journeys.”
To find out more information about alternative transport during this time, use the journey planner on the Merseyrail app, or on the website at merseyrail.org. 

Notes to Editors
Journey times will be extended for these five days. Journeys between Southport and Liverpool city centre are expected to take an additional 30 minutes.

A normal timetable will be in operation from Saturday 24 August.