Liverpool trains: Investigation announced into cancellations

Services including Kirkby and Chester will be affected until at least Sunday, Merseyrail said

An investigation will be launched into how so many Merseyrail trains suffered wheel-bearing faults at the same time, Liverpool City Region's mayor has said.

Steve Rotheram said it was frustrating that 28 trains had been affected so it could not run a quarter-hourly service.

It has led to bus replacement services on the Kirkby and New Brighton lines.

There were also cancellations on the West Kirby, Chester and Ellesmere Port lines with services expected to be affected until the end of Sunday.

"It's very frustrating. Merseyrail are contracted to run a service, and at this moment in time they can't do that," Mr Rotheram said.

He told BBC Radio Merseyside he had spoken to Merseyrail's managing director Andy Heath about "my concerns and the concerns of passengers".

"I've told them in no uncertain terms that we expect levels to be back to normal as soon as it's possible to do it."

He said the operator was "pulling out all the stops and they were looking at additional workspace so that they can get more units up and running".

But he added there will be an investigation to find out how so many units all had similar faults.

"But the most important thing is to get some more trains on the tracks," he added.

Merseyrail's commercial director, Suzanne Grant, said: "We're really sorry for the inconvenience this is causing to our passengers and I want to assure you we are doing everything we can to resolve this issue as quickly as possible."

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