Rail station escalators to get £12.5m upgrade

Each escalator will take more than 20 weeks to replace, Network Rail said

Escalators across train stations on Merseyside will temporarily close for three years as £12.5m of refurbishment works begin.

Network Rail is replacing 14 escalators at four stations across the Merseyrail network over the next three years.

Escalators at Liverpool Lime Street, Moorfields, James Street and Hamilton Square on the Liverpool and Wirral line need to be replaced - with each expected to take more than 20 weeks to complete.

The whole project is set to be completed by 2027, Network Rail said.

'Specialist engineers'

Work on the first of six escalators at Liverpool Lime Street is under way, with upgrades starting at Moorfields station later in August, with further announcements expected in due course.

Some of the escalators at Moorfields have already been out of service due to rain damage.

Network Rail said they will work on one escalator at a time to keep "passengers on the move".

Rebecca Rathore, a Network Rail strategy director, said: “Replacing escalators takes a long time as it requires specialist engineers and equipment.

“Passengers who would usually rely on escalators to travel are advised to use the station lifts. I'd like to thank passengers for their patience during the work.”