00:00It was one of the coldest starts of the year that many commuters could remember and for a time much of Mersey Rail simply stopped.
00:08Now with another winter on the horizon, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority says it learned the lessons from that episode and is ready for whatever the weather brings.
00:18Detailed winter resilience plans have been months in preparation at Man Island.
00:23The Combined Authority says grit supplies are stocked, equipment has been tested and staff across transport networks are on alert.
00:31Those plans cover every corner of the region's transport system, including Mersey Rail, local bus services, the Mersey Tunnels and ferries across the river.
00:41The new measures follow an independent review led by Greater Manchester's Transport Commissioner Vernon Everett, commissioned by Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham after January's disruption.
00:51His report recommended stronger communication, better coordination between operators and specific steps to prevent ice forming on the third rail, long a key cause of Mersey Rail delays.
01:04In response, the operator is now running so-called ghost trains overnight and early in the mornings to help clear frost from the tracks.
01:12Anti-icing agents are also being applied across the network with rolling stock prepared for freezing conditions.
01:18Bus companies are checking vehicles and maintenance depots, while Mersey Travel Hub teams are focusing on gritting and snow clearance around interchanges.
01:29The Mersey Tunnels Police are testing emergency vehicles and equipment and ferry crews are watching river conditions closely.
01:36The message from the Combined Authority is that the groundwork is done, now it's about staying vigilant as temperatures drop.
01:44The Mersey Tunnels'
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