This article was last updated on 3 October 2023
In December 2021, Knowsley Council granted planning permission for a new £80 million Railway Station development for Kirkby.
Site preparation work on the new station commenced in January 2022, ahead of its opening in 2023.
The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (led by the Metro Mayor) is delivering this £80m project, in partnership with Knowsley Council, Network Rail, Merseyrail, and Northern Rail. Funding for the scheme has been provided through the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund.
When will then new station open?
The new station will open with a phased introduction to service on Thursday 5 October. Initially the station will open with limited car parking while works continue on site. The southern pedestrian entrance to the station is scheduled to open soon after.
Car parking at the new station will initially be limited, while Network Rail and delivery partners complete some outstanding works at the new station. Rail users travelling to the new station by car are asked not to inconvenience people living nearby while car park works are completed.
A southern pedestrian entrance – which will provide a new accessible and fully illuminated pedestrian facility from St Kevin’s residential estate – is expected to be completed soon after the station opening.
What is the new station for?
The new station will extend the Merseyrail network, which currently terminates at Kirkby, to a new location off Headbolt Lane. This will improve transport links for the Northwood and Tower Hill areas of Kirkby as well as for Knowsley Business Park.
Northern Rail services from Manchester and Wigan will operate to and from the new three-platform station, which is also designed to support any future plans to build a new rail link to Skelmersdale.
Who should I contact with passenger enquiries?
For passenger enquiries and any enquiries relating to the new station contact Merseyrail.
What do the plans include?
- A new station building, incorporating a ticket office, a booking hall, and passenger toilets
- A new double-track railway bridge over County Road
- Step-free pedestrian access throughout the station
- Cycle parking and approximately 300 car parking spaces
- A new station access road from Headbolt Lane, including a bridge over Kirkby Brook
- Landscaped frontage to the station
- An extensive CCTV security system
- A bus interchange and links to local cycling and walking networks
- Closure and infill of the subway which runs under Headbolt Lane
- Provision of new segregated cycling and pedestrian facilities along Headbolt lane
- New toucan crossing across Headbolt lane and improved cycle crossing across county road
- Green space improvements to the surrounding areas, which will be delivered by Knowsley Council
- A new accessible fully illuminated pedestrian facility from St Kevin’s residential estate
What are the benefits?
- The new station will improve access to places of education, employment, and training for a wider number of Kirkby residents.
- The new station can help to attract further investment in the area, particularly given its proximity to Knowsley Business Park.
- The infill of an existing obsolete subway will help to address anti-social behaviour issues in the area. Extensive CCTV and lighting will be in operation at the new station to ensure that it is safe and secure for users and local residents.
- As part of the project, Knowsley Council is delivering improved greenspace and walking and cycle provision through the St Kevin’s open space to the south of the railway line and at Tower Hill Park to the north of the station.
When will work take place?
Most of the construction work will be carried out on weekdays, between 7am and 6pm. Network Rail are conscious of the need to minimise the impact on local residents of the noisy activities associated with building the new railway station and the nearby railway line between Headbolt Lane and Kirkby Station.
To ensure the safety of construction workers and that the new station is completed on time, it has been necessary to undertake some of the work at night.
Will the work be noisy?
Various specialist pieces of plant and machinery have been used over the course of the project, including cranes, piling rigs, excavators, dumpers, and road rail track machines. Staff and contractors are aware of their responsibility to keep any noise to a minimum.
As part of the planning conditions, an agreed construction management plan will ensure that disturbance and noise levels are mitigated. Noise levels will be monitored and work will be stopped if noise exceeds the defined limits.
Are the associated highways works now complete?
Highways enabling works delivered by Knowsley Council that has been completed to date includes:
- Infill of existing pedestrian underpass under Headbolt Lane to address anti-social behaviour issues in the area.
- Infill of landscaped area by Southcroft Drive with provision of new connecting illuminated footpath to Headbolt Lane
- Installation of new segregated footway/cycleway on residential side of Headbolt Lane between Fallowfield and Southcroft Drive
- Installation of new segregated footway/cycleway on station side of Headbolt Lane between Fallowfield and Southcroft Drive (completed but yet to be opened)
- Installation of new segregated footway/cycleway on station side of Headbolt Lane between Fallowfield and County Road (completed but yet to be opened)
- Installation of new traffic signalised toucan crossing on Headbolt Lane linking station and residential area by Southcroft Drive
- Upgrade of existing pedestrian crossing across County Road to include separate provision for cyclists
- Relocation of existing illuminated lamp columns to illuminate new segregated footways/cycleways.
- Installation of traffic calming features along Headbolt Lane as well as extensive resurfacing of Headbolt Lane
United Utilities are undertaking an upgrade to their fresh water supply facilities to the Towerhill area and they will soon complete these important works close to Headbolt Lane opposite main entrance to the new station. These works will be completed by the end of September 2023, before the station opens.
How can I access the new station?
The highways enabling works delivered by Knowsley Council will improve safe access to and from the new train station for pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.
There will be a new footpath access to the south of the railway line directly linking to the new Headbolt Lane Rail Station to/from Northwood. This will connect into the existing footpath that runs from St Kevin’s Drive (between Fern Close and Limetree Road).
There are no plans to demolish the existing footbridge over the railway from Northwood (Woodhouse Road) to Tower Hill (Headbolt Lane).
How will residents be kept informed about the works?
Network Rail and the station partners have been communicating with residents to update them on the works. Updates about the station’s progress will also appear on Knowsley News and on Knowsley Council’s social media channels.
Who can I contact for more detail about the work taking place?
You can contact Network Rail’s 24-hour National Helpline on 03457 11 41 41.
You can find more details about the project here.