Further calls have been made to bring Merseyrail back into public ownership as all options are being considered for train services in the region. The company, owned by firms Serco and Transport UK, was described as parasitic earlier this year.

The motion, put forward by Green councillors Jo Bird and Ruth Molyneux ahead of a full council meeting on December 1, is calling for Wirral Council to support bringing Merseyrail back into public ownership and control. The current contract is due to expire in 2028.

In 2028, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is planning to rebrand Merseytravel into the Transport for Liverpool City Region. This is part of wide ranging plans from the combined authority (CA) to connect rail, bus, ferry, tunnels and active travel options across the six local authority areas.

Further calls have been made to bring Merseyrail back into public ownership | Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

placeholder image — Further calls have been made to bring Merseyrail back into public ownership | Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

The Rail and Maritime Transport workers union (RMT) has called for the authority to bring Merseyrail back into public ownership as well as the train-drivers union ASLEF and independent transport and travel union TSSA. Options being considered include a five year extension to the current contract.

The Green Party are backing those calls from unions, pointing to the Merseyrail company’s ownership structure, £212m in dividends paid out, and £31m of shareholder profits which they estimate to be £1 for every passenger journey between January 2024 and January 2025.

The motion said: “There are currently 69 stations on the Mersey rail network, 23 of which are located in Wirral and members of this council believe Merseyrail’s profit could and should be used for the benefit of local passengers – to improve train services, accessibility and reduce fares for Wirral residents.”

They are asking Wirral Council leader Cllr Paula Basnett to write to Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram as well as Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander “to express support for Merseyrail returning to publicownership and control”. However the motion will need the support of other parties to pass.

At a Wirral Council meeting in July, Cllr Bird asked if the combined authority agreed Merseyrail is “parasitic”, adding: “A decision to re-privatise the service would be a betrayal.” Cllr Steve Foulkes in response criticised the Green councillor for “self-publicity” but said all options were being considered to get best value.

He added: “Our priority is always to deliver a reliable, accessible, and affordable rail service that works as part of a London-style integrated transport network designed to put the public back at the heart of public transport.”

In response to the new motion, a spokesperson for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority said: “We’re committed to delivering on the Mayor’s manifesto pledge and CA’s Corporate Plan commitment to bring greater public control to our region’s transport network.

“Alongside taking back control of local buses, our investment in publicly-owned train and bus fleets and recent improvements to contactless ticketing, work is well under way to build a truly public transport network.”