WORK to upgrade the 1.5-mile Halton Curve near Runcorn was completed as planned over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, allowing preparations to start for new passenger services from December.

Completed on time and within budget, the £18.75million project restores the long-neglected link for use in both directions, enabling a new hourly Wales & Borders service between Liverpool and Chester from December.

It will serve Liverpool South Parkway, Runcorn, Frodsham and Helsby, with an ambition to eventually expand the services further into North Wales.

The chord links the Chester-Warrington-Liverpool-Crewe line at Frodsham Junction. Around 250,000 passenger journeys each year are expected to be generated by the new service.

As part of the project, the Frodsham area has been re-signalled and the signalbox (pictured) now houses a new modern signalling panel to control train movements
in the area.

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