The year 2023 was supposed to be a hugely positive one for Merseyrail.
After years of delays and false dawns, the rollout of the region's £500m fleet of state-of-the-art trains was finally due to get underway and it did. But it's safe to say things didn't really go to plan.
The deal to buy the new fleet of trains was agreed all the way back in 2016 but the roll-out of the new models was held up by a number of factors including the pandemic and industrial disputes. So when the first trains hit the tracks earlier this year, there was an expected level of excitement.
I was fortunate enough to travel on the first passenger journey to Kirkby in January. I was joined on board by a throng of train enthusiasts and others who were keen to see what the new fleet was like - including a new-born baby and a dog called Bella. It was a momentous day and one we had all been actively looking forward to.
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The roll-out of a brand new fleet of trains on a network is likely to include some teething problems and we started to see this in the months that followed that optimistic first day.
Passengers began noticing issues with some of the new trains, often leading to delays and cancellations. At one stage the ECHO revealed that the entire fleet had to be temporarily taken off the network because of a software issue. Other commuters commuters noticed repeated issues that Merseyrail described as 'teething problems.'
Those problems persisted and by June we were reporting that new trains were still being swapped for old trains on the Kirkby line, even after we had been told the roll-out had been completed on that line. The problems were also noticed on the Ormskirk and Wirral lines as new trains started to be introduced.
Now these issues are far from ideal, but if we are feeling generous, could still be included in the teething problems bracket. What followed this, however, went considerably beyond that description.
What was supposed to be another hugely positive moment turned sour in October when the launch of the network's new £80m Headbolt Lane station was followed with chaotic scenes that saw scores of daily cancellations and serious issues affecting commuters.
Now don't get me wrong, it's brilliant to see a new station open on our local network and it marked a big moment for the people of Kirkby, but many of those I spoke to said that sense of optimism was quickly dampened by the many problems that followed.
Many of the issues were created by trains breaking down as they attempted to move from the network's third rail, which ends at Kirkby, and continue with battery operation towards the new Headbolt Lane station. At one stage scores of cancellations were occurring every day, with passengers left to deal with chaotic scenes.
Things have improved a little since the grim nadir of the autumn but those travelling on the Kirkby line still talk of regular disruption. We also hear of continued problems on other lines.
It's a big shame because anyone who is invested in this city region and sees public transport as a force for good has high hopes for these new trains. They were bought on our behalf and we own them - we all want them to work.
It's a big deal for the Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram too. He made the creation of a new, London-style interconnected public transport network a centrepiece of his time in office and with elections next year, he will know that the public will judge him on how the situation with the new trains improves.
But beyond politics, this is an issue for all of us. We desperately need to encourage people to leave their cars at home and make travelling by public transport their everyday reality. We cannot do that if the service provided is not up to scratch.
That's why 2024 is absolutely vital for Merseyrail and its new fleet of trains. Let's hope that they can get it right, for all our sakes.
The Liverpool Daily Post newsletter delves into the biggest stories on Merseyside.
Why 2024 is a make or break year for Merseyrail
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01.01.2024
The year 2023 was supposed to be a hugely positive one for Merseyrail.
After years of delays and false dawns, the rollout of the region's £500m fleet of state-of-the-art trains was finally due to get underway and it did. But it's safe to say things didn't really go to plan.
The deal to buy the new fleet of trains was agreed all the way back in 2016 but the roll-out of the new models was held up by a number of factors including the pandemic and industrial disputes. So when the first trains hit the tracks earlier this year, there was an expected level of excitement.
I was fortunate enough to travel on the first passenger journey to Kirkby in January. I was joined on board by a throng of train enthusiasts and others who were keen to see what the new fleet was like - including a new-born baby and a dog called Bella. It was a momentous day and one we had all been actively looking forward to.
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