Anger at Liverpool rail disruption during Giants show

The Giants spectacular in 2014 was watched by a million people, the council said

Commuters have reacted angrily to a programme of rail station closures which will come into force during the Giants visit to Liverpool.

Merseyrail has announced a "special event timetable" designed to "assist with the large volume of passengers" expected to attend the three-day event.

The timetable includes "a limited stop service", with 28 stations closed at some point throughout 4-7 October.

Dozens of people said they were unhappy about the revised schedule.

The huge marionettes, known as the Giants, have visited cities around the world but will be making their final outing in the Liverpool Dreams show.

A million people watched the Giants when they last visited the city in 2014.

As well as almost 30 station closures, other changes include the West Kirby line only having three trains per hour instead of the usual four, while Southport trains will terminate at South Parkway.

Merseyrail said the revised timetable would best serve both regular commuters and visitors

All Wirral line passengers will be required to use Liverpool Central station, while Northern Line passengers are to use Moorfields.

People living in Hightown - one of the stations dropped in the new timetable - are 2.5 miles (4 km) away from the nearest alternative.

Karen Littler said: "Plenty of villagers use the train to get to work, as do children to get to school.

"Hightown is the most isolated station on the Northern Line. The only other public transport is an hourly bus which runs Monday-Saturday 8-5, and goes from the village to Crosby."

Sefton Central MP Bill Esterson echoed residents' concerns, saying: "Ellesmere Port is to have rail replacement buses for the Giants. How about Hightown?"

'Paid good money'

Town Green and Aughton are other stations that will be closed across the weekend.

Claire Courtnell said: "How are people supposed to get to work or to the event itself if Merseyrail is closing most stations, when roads and bus routes will be affected too?"

Tom Sharpe added: "This is unacceptable, you can't just decide to ignore a station where commuters have paid good money for season tickets."

Merseyrail said the new timetable would ensure a "robust and reliable service".

A spokesman said it would serve regular passengers and the large numbers of people expected to visit the Giants event "as best as possible".