The DfT are currently consulting on timetable revisions, to take place in May 2022, in order to increase punctuality through reduced congestion in the Castlefield Corridor between Salford Crescent and Manchester Piccadilly. There are multiple potential changes, which I won't detail here, however there is potential impact to the Cleethorpes - Manchester Airport TPE service.
Option A retains the Cleethorpes - Manchester Airport service in its current form.
Options B and C diverts the Cleethorpes - Manchester Airport service to Liverpool Lime Street via Warrington.
In options B and C, there will be cross platform connections available at Piccadilly to Airport trains. There will also be omnibus connections from Liverpool South Parkway to Speke Airport.
The following questions are asked as part of the consultation:
Question 1: Do you support the aim of standardising and simplifying service patterns if this will significantly improve overall train performance?
Question 2: Do you support the approach of measuring the service level and performance impacts across all passengers to allow fair trade-offs between options?
Question 3: On the basis of these results, which is your preferred option?
Question 4: Please provide your views on the details of the proposed changes which are detailed by route in the Appendix.
For the full consultation, please see: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/951401/manchester-recovery-task-force-public-consultation.pdf
I expect that this will be discussed at the FBL OGM on Wednesday 20th January.
Question 1: Do you support the aim of standardising and simplifying service patterns if this will significantly improve overall train performance?
The DfT and Network Rail have published their consultation response to the Manchester Recovery Task Force consultation.
The result of this is that the Cleethorpes - Manchester Airport service, which due to lack of platform capacity at the Airport was, barring one daily service, cut back to Manchester Piccadilly in March 2020, will now be diverted to Liverpool Lime Street. There will be cross platform connections available at Manchester Piccadilly into services for the Airport.
There will be a further consultation over the finer details of the timetable and stopping points, although it is expected that after Manchester Piccadilly the newly extended Liverpool service will call at: Urston, Irlam, Birchwood, Warrington Central, Liverpool South Parkway (for bus connection to Liverpool Speke Airport - also direct connections with the Merseyrail Northern Line) and Liverpool Lime Street.
It is intended that the timetable recast will see an improvement in service punctuality across the north - indeed the Cleethorpes - Manchester Airport service was amongst three services highlighted as causing the most disruption which radiates across the north of England.
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/timetable-options-to-improve-rail-performance-in-the-north-of-england