THE much-heralded electric train services from Liverpool to Wigan and Manchester is due to begin service when the new timetables are introduced this month. This has been advertised as a 'faster, more frequent, comfortable' service but nothing appears to be changing.

According to the new timetables, there will still only be a half-hourly service to Wigan and hourly service from Rainhill to Manchester, taking exactly the same time as the current service. The only difference appears to be that there will now be four coaches per train.

Also Councillor Marlene Quinn is supposed to have negotiated an agreement with Merseytravel for trains to stop at Eccleston Park on Sundays in their 2015 timetables. However according to the timetable this is not happening, so it will continue to be difficult for local residents to travel to Liverpool, St Helens or Wigan on a Sunday and also anyone visiting Willowbrook Hospice and Whiston Hospital.

Mary Harrison

Eccleston Park