A new timetable for rail services in and around Manchester has been approved for December 2022.

There will be an hourly service which will run between Southport, Wigan and Manchester Oxford Road all day, and a second hourly service from Southport to Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge all day.

But there is no service from Southport to Manchester Picadilly and Manchester Airport as currently available.

The timetable was jointly produced by the cross-industry Manchester Recovery Task Force, comprising the Department for Transport, Transport for the North, Transport for Greater Manchester, Network Rail and the train operators Northern and TransPennine Express.

Meanwhile Blackpool retains it's Half Hourly service to Piccadilly.

These measures reducing the 'Services' to Piccadilly are allegedly to ease congestion on the 'Deansgate - Castlefield Corridor', terminating at Oxford Rd does nothing towards this as the train has already travelled through there. Unless the train stops at Deansgate there is no interface with the Metro system which renders the service pointless, it may as well terminate at Salford Crescent or Wigan Wallgate if you have to change.

Don’t worry we can go on our bicycles with our suitcases on the handlebars .

Originally Posted by MICK/GILLY

Don’t worry we can go on our bicycles with our suitcases on the handlebars .

Are they putting cycle lanes on the M56 and M62 to get to Manchester? Asking for a friend..

Originally Posted by SteveandLois

Are they putting cycle lanes on the M56 and M62 to get to Manchester? Asking for a friend..

Probably just ban all motorised traffic from the motorways to allow for the expected surge in cycling.

Anoter success for our MP and "Building Back better"

Originally Posted by Nash

Anoter success for our MP and "Building Back better"

Not enough people are using it. Been on the brink for 30 years.

Originally Posted by ECHOEONE

Not enough people are using it. Been on the brink for 30 years.

Plenty use it, there is more justification for Southports Hourly service into Piccadilly than Blackpools Half Hourly one, the line needs electrifying.

Originally Posted by Alikado

Plenty use it, there is more justification for Southports Hourly service into Piccadilly than Blackpools Half Hourly one, the line needs electrifying.

The fact it's been on the brink for so long says otherwise.

Originally Posted by ECHOEONE

The fact it's been on the brink for so long says otherwise.

It is well used, it has suffered from under investment and lack of promotion which has always favoured Blackpool, 2 years ago before the pandemic started many services to Manchester where standing room only between Wigan and Manchester particularly the Piccadilly / Airport services. Several people I know from the Wigan area only use the services from Northwestern to Manchester due to the Wallgate services utilising stock dating back to the 1980's and early 90's.

Originally Posted by ECHOEONE

The fact it's been on the brink for so long says otherwise.

Rubbish. It does not just serve Southport. By the time it has left Parbold it is usually rammed.

Originally Posted by greenmachine

Rubbish. It does not just serve Southport. By the time it has left Parbold it is usually rammed.

It would be making a mint then and nobody would want to close it down. If it's such a golden goose then why do they want to close it? Just to be *wats to SPT? I dont think so.

Originally Posted by ECHOEONE

It would be making a mint then and nobody would want to close it down. If it's such a golden goose then why do they want to close it? Just to be *wats to SPT? I dont think so.

They are not closing it, they are curtailing it at Oxford Rd.
It's because of Lobbying by other areas, Blackpoo were lobbying for years and got a direct service to London, they also have a twice hourly service to Piccadilly, Lobbying got the Ordsal Chord built which has put more traffic on the Deansgate - Castlefield link, the Castlefield corridor should have been upgraded before it was built. On occasions I've used the Blackpool trains from Piccadilly there are less passengers on it than the Southport services and when they leave Wigan there's hardly anyone on it.