The roll-out of Merseyrail's new trains have seen a number of issues arise since their phased introduction last year, most recently at the new £80m Headbolt Lane station in Kirkby. Frustrated commuters have been taking to social media to air their dissatisfaction. We have been on the streets of Liverpool to find out what you think of the service.
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00:00 The rollout of Mersey Rail's new fleet have seen a number of issues arise since their phased introduction last year,
00:07 most recently at the £80 million Headbolt Lane station in Kirby.
00:11 Frustrated commuters have been taking to social media to air their dissatisfaction.
00:16 We've been on the streets of Liverpool to find out what you think of the service.
00:21 I've not had any problem but I don't have the Rock Ferry line.
00:25 You can guarantee that those lines are going to be out most frequently because they always are.
00:30 I don't know whether that's about investment or what.
00:34 And I don't use it really during commuter hours, so if there's been any hassle I've missed it.
00:41 Well, they might get the new trains working better, but that's probably not their fault.
00:47 I know things go wrong occasionally and the local press make a great fuss when they do
00:54 and it's very tiresome for people when they do, but at my age you take a philosophical approach.
01:00 As I say, I think by and large they're reliable.
01:04 It's alright. They could do with more of the new trains.
01:09 I've just seen a girl on a scooter with the old trains and they had to get a plate out to put her up,
01:17 so I know it's a bit of a struggle.
01:20 I've been on the new passenger trains where everything's on the same level
01:25 and it's easier for... well, I'm quite old but we won't go into that.
01:33 But you know, people who are disabled or they have a job getting about
01:38 or people on scooters like that or walking sticks.
01:41 I don't really have any thoughts on it really.
01:45 I found them okay. I haven't had any problem with them.
01:48 No, me neither really.
01:50 I think the best bit is actually that they've got some level surface carriages
01:56 and for me that's really important, but you don't know until you get down which train has it and which train doesn't.
02:04 The trains could do with a wash. They're alright on the inside, but you can't see out the windows.
02:10 I just got off one now, you could not see out the window and the whole carriage is just rotten.
02:16 So surely they must have a flipping car wash in the sheds, you know what I mean?
02:22 Where they can put them straight through.
02:25 Apart from that, yeah, I've got no complaints.
02:28 Passengers who travelled on the Kirby Line in 2023 could be entitled to receive their money back
02:33 as a gesture of goodwill announced by the Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham.
02:38 Now that services on the Kirby Line have progressed to three trains per hour,
02:42 the Mayor wanted to recognise the patience and understanding shown by passengers
02:47 during the rollout of the Region's new £500 million trains.
02:51 Passengers who bought a weekly, monthly, term-time or annual ticket in 2023
02:57 at Vizagkhali, Kirby or Hedbolt Lane will receive a letter with information about how to claim their money back in full.