The newest £80m train station in Kirkby has opened its doors to passengers. Headbolt Lane in Kirkby welcomed passengers from Thursday. The station – which is fully accessible – is the first in the region to be served by battery powered trains. We've been to try the new route for ourselves.
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00:00 On Thursday morning the first battery-powered train of its kind in the UK left the new Headbolt
00:08 Lane station in Kirby. I decided to take the journey there and back to see what has been
00:14 created over this 18-month build. The extension of the Mersey Rail line to Headbolt Lane has
00:20 been years in the making and will provide easier access to services for people in the Tower Hill
00:25 and Northwood areas of the town. It will also open up the network making it more accessible
00:32 to people from across Knowsley, Rainford and West Lanx. The new £80 million train station is
00:39 operating battery-powered trains for the first time in passenger service. More services will
00:45 be added gradually until a full 15-minute service is in place. One thing you might notice immediately
00:52 is just how quiet these trains are. There have been newer trains rolling out on the Mersey Rail
00:58 network but compared to the old ones where the sound at times can be unbearable, it's a welcome
01:06 relief and makes for a very peaceful commute. Headbolt Lane is the first station delivered
01:13 under Mersey Rail for all, a commitment to expanding the local rail network across the region.
01:19 The features that have been built in for accessibility, whether that's for wheelchairs,
01:24 buggies or bikes, it is great to see those factors thought of. The battery technology on the trains
01:32 removes the need for a live third rail which could enable the Mersey Rail network to run to places
01:39 previously inaccessible including as far as Manchester, Wrexham, Warrington, Preston and Runcorn.
01:45 The power sockets, digital screens and just how spacious these new trains are really does
01:53 make for a much more pleasant journey. Both the new station and the region's publicly owned trains
02:00 are central to Metro Mersey Rotherham's plans to deliver a London-style transport network,
02:06 aiming to make the region's public transport quicker, cheaper, greener and more reliable.
02:13 Over 20,000 people in Northwood and Shevington areas of Kirby could benefit
02:17 from the new service with 60% of households not owning a car in these areas.
02:22 The station car park which will be able to hold approximately 270 vehicles is still under
02:28 construction and is expected to be completed soon. Customers are advised to use other modes of
02:34 transport to access the station for now. Local bus services will be stopping immediately outside
02:40 the building while some of the entrances and footpaths are still being completed. Pedestrian
02:45 access will be via Hedbolt Lane. With a bus interchange providing services to Scalmsdale,
02:52 cycle parking and links to active travel networks, the fully accessible station will
02:57 provide smoother connections to public transport services encouraging greater use.