Merseyrail said rail replacement buses had been requested but will take time due to local roads being affected by the weather
Merseyrail services between south Wirral and Cheshire are unable to run due to heavy snow and ice on the lines. Merseyrail confirmed to the ECHO this morning that trains on the Rock Ferry to Chester and Rock Ferry to Ellesmere Port are not running as planned this morning due to the adverse weather conditions.
In an update this morning, Sunday, January 5 a spokesperson for Merseyrail said rail replacement buses have been requested to operate but will take time due to local roads being affected by the same weather conditions. The rail company later wrote on its website: “The trains on these lines have encountered significant snow and ice on the lines between Rock Ferry and Chester/Rock Ferry and Ellesmere Port.
“As a result rail services cannot start as planned. Rail Replacement bus services have been requested to operate from Rock Ferry but local roads are also affected by snow and ice. We will update when these are in place. Customers planning to travel on Sunday, January 5 should check our website, the Merseyrail app or ‘X’ account (@merseyrail) for latest service information before travelling.”
READ MORE: Liverpool v Man United snow postponement updates LIVE as match decision madeREAD MORE: Liverpool snow live weather and travel updates as fresh alert issued
Merseyrail confirmed yesterday that it had activated its cold weather plans to help ensure services can continue to operate safely. The first trains of the day are currently running without passengers to ensure the lines are safe to operate.
Merseyside awoke to a blanket of snow this morning that steadily fell throughout the night. According to the Met Office, who imposed an amber weather warning for Merseyside, we can expect a strong likelihood of heavy rain from around 10am today.
You can keep up to date with the ECHO’s live coverage of the weather, including any travel and traffic disruptions, here.