A KEY £20m investment to improve safety at two of Merseyside’s busiest train stations is under threat.

Last night, Merseytravel chair-man Mark Dowd said the issue was of particular concern for Liverpool Central station, branding it a “tip” and “no longer fit for purpose”.

The passenger transport authority and Network Rail have identified that £12m needs to be spent at Liverpool Central and £8m at James Street to deal with increasing passenger numbers on Merseyrail. But the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), in its draft proposals for railway funding, has refused to back the schemes, saying that Network Rail’s “sums don’t add up”.

A Merseytravel document also warns that “safety issues . . . may be exacerbated with increased usage” of the stations if the cash for the improvements is not secured. Last night, the ORR said it would announce its final decision on funding in October, and until then would continue to discuss the matter with Network Rail.

The issue over whether to provide funding for the two schemes hinges on passenger number predictions.

Between 2002 and 2007, the number of passenger journeys on Merseyrail grew by 15%.

According to the data used by the ORR, annual growth of 3% to 4% is predicted, but dropping to 1% after 2009.

Merseytravel insist the modelling system used by the regulator has been shown to underestimate growth on the rail network everywhere except London.

The transport authority is predicting annual growth levels of around 2.4% until 2020, with the numbers using Liverpool Central growing by around 4%.

Last night, Cllr Dowd said: “I think it is the Office of Rail Regulation who have done their sums wrong.”

He said passenger figures were growing at such a rate that Merseytravel was starting to consider getting new train units.

“The reason for doing that is because passenger numbers are going to grow. What we don’t need is people coming into our city telling us our passenger numbers, it is just not on.

“We are doing our bit and we need assistance. I am livid about this, to be honest.

“If you look at Central, there are between 55,000 and 65,000 passengers going through it each day.

“We have taken some of the 1970s seats out and that was to create more space – the place needs an upgrade.

“It’s not the best station in the world – 30-odd years ago it was adequate, but now it’s just not fit for purpose.”

Network Rail’s chief executive Iain Coucher said demand for more and better rail services continues to grow.

“It is vitally important that we get the right level of funding to meet passenger and freight user needs, so that we can deliver the railway that this country needs into the next decade.

“I am extremely concerned that the funding settlement outlined will put our plans to meet rising demand at risk.”

A spokesman for the Office of Rail Regulation said: “With reference to these two schemes, what we have said to Network Rail is that we don’t think their sums add up, and we have asked them to go back to the drawing board.

“The ball is in Network Rail’s court, we have said their business case does not meet our requirements.”

He insisted that the figures had not be “plucked out of the air” and said the ORR’s final determinations on funding would be published in October.

OPINION: PAGE 12

davidbartlett