Commuters across Merseyside woke up to a rough start this week as a mix of weather woes and timetable changes sent shockwaves through the region’s usually reliable rail network. From snow and ice warnings to a broken-down train at Hooton and a raft of schedule tweaks, passengers on the Merseyrail system faced a perfect storm of disruption on January 5 and 6, 2026.
The trouble began in earnest on Monday, January 5, when Merseyrail’s Chester and Ellesmere Port lines were thrown into disarray. According to LiverpoolWorld, a yellow Met Office weather alert for snow and ice blanketed the region until midday, and the rail operator warned, “snow and ice has the potential to cause disruption to travel in places later Sunday through to Monday morning.” True to that forecast, the 7:52am Chester to Liverpool service, the 8:37am Liverpool Central to Chester train, and the 7:49am Ellesmere Port to Liverpool service were all cancelled. Poor conditions at Hooton were cited as the main culprit, with issues expected to linger until at least 9am.
But Mother Nature wasn’t the only force at play. As reported by Liverpool Echo, a broken-down train at Hooton on the same morning compounded the chaos. Train services to and from Ellesmere Port and Chester were abruptly terminated at Hooton, forcing passengers to scramble for alternatives. Merseyrail quickly requested rail replacement buses to bridge the gap between Chester and Hooton, as well as Ellesmere Port and Hooton, but these buses were not yet running at the time of the announcement. To soften the blow, Merseyrail ticket holders were granted permission to use Transport for Wales services between Chester and Liverpool, along with Stagecoach 1 and X1 bus routes.
The following day, things didn’t get much easier. The Met Office issued another yellow weather warning—this time for snow and ice until 11am on January 6—blanketing the whole of Merseyside. Heavy rain overnight had turned much of the previous day’s snow and ice into slushy, slippery mush, making footpaths treacherous and further complicating travel plans. As Liverpool Echo described it, “commuters planning to get the train to work this morning will be greeted with major disruption as all Merseyrail lines are currently showing delays and cancellations due to weather conditions.”
The impact was felt across the entire Merseyrail network. On the Wirral, the Ellesmere Port and Chester lines were suspended from Rock Ferry, with rail replacement buses requested. But again, the buses were slow to materialize, leaving many passengers in limbo. The Ormskirk and Hunts Cross lines were also suspended, with buses requested between Kirkdale and Ormskirk, and between Hunts Cross and Moorfields. Poor road conditions, however, meant buses couldn’t operate between Maghull and Ormskirk, further frustrating would-be travelers. Ticket acceptance was put in place with Northern Rail and Arriva buses for affected routes, providing a lifeline for some, but not all, as delays and cancellations continued to mount.
Even those who tried to avoid the rails weren’t spared. Major roads across Merseyside were snarled with heavy, slow-moving traffic. The A5058 Queens Drive around Childwall Five Ways Roundabout saw queues and delays of about 10 minutes. The East Lancashire Road, a key arterial route, was also hit by slow-moving traffic between Pewfall traffic lights and the M6 at Haydock. The Birkenhead Tunnel, A59 Rice Lane, the M62 westbound at Bowring Park, and the M57 northbound at Switch Island all experienced significant delays, according to traffic monitors cited by Liverpool Echo.
While the West Kirby and New Brighton lines eventually resumed normal service, the disruption elsewhere was expected to last until at least 9am on January 6. On the Northern line, Southport services were not spared, with trains subject to delays and cancellations. Trains to and from Headbolt Lane were also affected, though some services began returning to normal as the morning wore on. Merseyrail kept passengers updated, but the fluid situation left many checking and re-checking their travel plans as conditions evolved by the minute.
Adding another layer of complexity, Merseyrail reverted from its autumn timetable back to its standard schedule on January 6. This change, reported by Liverpool Echo, was particularly relevant for travelers on the Southport, Chester, and Ellesmere Port lines, as the special autumn schedule—designed to accommodate seasonal conditions like leaf fall—was withdrawn. For morning commuters between Southport and Liverpool, departure times shifted slightly: trains that once left at 8:18, 8:33, and 8:48 now depart at 8:21, 8:36, and 8:51. Ellesmere Port to Liverpool services changed from 8:12 and 8:42 to 8:19 and 8:42. Chester’s trains, previously leaving at 12, 27, and 42 minutes past the hour, now run at 7, 31, and 45 minutes past. Capenhurst Station, however, saw its service frequency halved, with trains reverting from a 15-minute to a 30-minute interval, departing at 24 and 54 minutes past the hour.
Merseyrail urged passengers to use its online journey planner to check the latest train times and avoid last-minute surprises. The company explained that seasonal timetable changes are a long-standing practice, necessary to mitigate the effects of autumn leaf fall on train acceleration and braking. Now, with the festive period over and travel patterns returning to normal, the standard timetable is back in force—though the timing, coinciding with severe weather and operational hiccups, couldn’t have been more challenging for commuters.
The weather itself was unrelenting. The Met Office’s warning, issued at 3:30am on January 6, cautioned of “scattered wintry showers, and icy patches that may cause some travel disruption this morning.” Despite the hazardous conditions, temperatures were actually a bit warmer than the day before, hovering around 2°C—though the persistent rain made it feel much colder. According to Liverpool Echo, “heavy rain is expected to fall for the next hour.” The combination of slush, ice, and rain made for a miserable morning for anyone venturing outdoors, let alone those relying on public transport.
For many in Merseyside, the experience was a stark reminder of how quickly a confluence of events—weather, mechanical failures, and scheduled changes—can grind a city’s transport system to a halt. As trains and buses struggled to keep up, and roads clogged with frustrated drivers, the importance of clear communication and contingency planning became all too clear. Merseyrail’s efforts to keep passengers informed and provide alternative travel options were appreciated, but the sheer scale of the disruption meant that, for some, there was simply no easy way to reach their destination on time.
By late morning, as weather warnings began to lift and services slowly resumed, weary commuters could only hope for smoother journeys in the days ahead. The events of January 5 and 6, 2026, will likely linger in memory as the region’s transport network faced—and ultimately weathered—a true test of resilience.
