£340 million of rail improvements are set to take place over the next three years in the Liverpool City Region.

As a result, train passengers in this area will be benefiting from faster, more frequent and more reliable train services by 2019.

This investment is being funded by Network Rail and the Liverpool City Region from the government's Growth Deal funding.

It's hoped that these changes, which are part of Network Rail's Railway Upgrade Plan, will pave the way for additional services. For example, the new First Transpennine Express services from Liverpool to Glasgow that are set to take place in three year's time.

Other services include the new Liverpool-to-Chester trains, the lines of which are already served but will benefit from a more frequent timetable.

Network Rail is contributing £229 million and Liverpool City Region is responsible for £111 million of the fund, which will see the building of new and longer platforms at Liverpool Lime Street station to accommodate more services and longer trains.

Other features will include renewed tracks on the Merseyrail underground loop, additional track between Huyton and Roby and a new station at Maghull North, among other changes.