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Eurovision boost for record rail profits

PA Media A series of heart shaped structures. One is pink, the second is blue and a third is golden. Eurovision 2023 is written on the pink heart structure in gold writing. Two people can be seen through the centre of the hearts. PA Media
The famous song contest was a hit in Liverpool last year

A train operator has posted record profits thanks in part to the Eurovision Song Contest and other major events.

Merseyrail, which operates services across Merseyside and into Cheshire and Lancashire, is one of the most intensively used rail networks in the UK.

According to its directors' strategic report for the year ending in January 2024, some 78,000 journeys were taken on Merseyrail services on average every day.

There were 28 million passenger journeys, which the company said was a post-Covid peak. It added a profit of just under £44m was the largest in its history.

The report said Merseyrail had benefitted from the Eurovision Song Contest being held in Liverpool, as well as the Open golf tournament at Hoylake on the Wirral and a successful Grand National festival at Aintree.

It said Eurovision and the Open brought an extra 182,000 journeys to the network.

PA Media An aerial photo of the top of the Liver building in Liverpool. Other buildings can be seen in the background and the River Mersey to the right of the photo.PA Media
Journeys were at 99% of their pre-pandemic level when Liverpool hosted Eurovision

During Eurovision, journeys were at 99% of their pre-pandemic level.

The report said the challenge for the company was to maintain high levels of growth and "capitalise on" big events in the Liverpool City Region calendar.

It said it had seen a move towards more leisure travel as more people moved to hybrid working.

The period covered by the report also included the roll out of a new fleet of trains, which the report acknowledged had presented some challenges.

The new battery-operated trains on the extension of the line to Kirkby had experienced technical problems.

The report said these "had adversely impacted our passengers wanting to use the Kirkby line and the new station at Headbolt Lane".

It added Merseyrail was working with the train manufacturer to improve the efficiency of the fleet.

The report said the company was keeping a close eye on the impact the cost of living was having on whether passengers would cut back on leisure activities.

Looking to the future, the report said the company's priorities for the next year included a new station in Liverpool's Baltic district and longer term the introduction of "tap and go" ticketing.

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