THE next phase of a major s40m refurbishment of the Merseyrail loop line will see the partial closure of one of the networks busiest city centre stations.
The work at James Street starts on September 3 and will not be finished until April 2013.
During the first phase, from September to January, no Wirral line services will stop at the station. As a result passengers will have to get off at either Moorfields, Lime Street or Liverpool Central.
Alternatively they can travel around the whole loop and exit at platform three at James Street. That option will add eight minutes to their journey.
Once this work is complete, platform three will close from January to April, meaning passengers for all Wirral line destinations will have to use a different station.
The work at James Street includes renewing the seating and upgrading fire safety systems to bring them up to modern standards.
It is part of a rolling programme of refurbishments planned for all five Merseyrail underground stations, including Liverpool Central, James Street, Lime Street, Moorfields and Birkenheads Hamilton Square. It is being jointly financed by Network Rail and Merseytravel.
The work at James Street will start just over a week after Liverpool Central reopens to Wirral line services only on August 25.
