Norwich-Liverpool direct train route could split by 2021

The government wants to split the service at Nottingham

Direct trains from Norwich to Liverpool Lime Street could be axed under government proposals.

The Department for Transport (DfT) said it wanted to split the service by 2021 under an East Midlands franchise operating from March 2019.

Passengers would change trains at Nottingham, with the onward journey to Liverpool run by a different operator.

The DfT said it would have benefits for passengers, despite most people telling a consultation they were against it.

The Norwich to Liverpool service runs every hour, with several stops en route, including Peterborough, Sheffield and Manchester Piccadilly.

It is not known how the change at Nottingham will impact on the current journey time of five hours and 40 minutes.

The split service would be "more reliable", with faster journey times, while alleviating overcrowding on the Nottingham to Liverpool stretch, a stakeholder briefing document says.

But in last year's consultation, 750 people (65% of respondents) said they were not in favour of transferring part of the service to another provider.

"Whilst this change would inconvenience some passengers (around 300 people per day) by requiring them to change trains, this has been balanced against the overall benefits to passengers," the DfT said.

"Splitting the service and placing it with one of the north of England operators should make it easier to deliver."

The Norwich to Nottingham service would operate under the East Midlands franchise, with TransPennine Express or Northern taking the onward journey, subject to "more detailed assessment", it added.

The second section of the route accounts for 87% of journeys, according to the document.

Chris Starkie, chief executive of New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, said: "Removing the direct service would be disappointing, especially given the clear view of a majority of partners consulted that it should be retained.

"If the decision is taken, we would strongly urge that any new service runs as far as Sheffield and that there is a firm commitment to improve timetable links to East Coast Mainline services."