referred to as a 'Parliamentary train'. This means that the Train Operating Company only runs the minimum number of services required legally, and usually at the least busy times of day, in order to still comply with the law, but to keep operating costs down to an absolute minimum. It is cheaper to run this service than going through a lengthy legal process of applying for station closures. North Cheshire Rail User Group A rail user group, the North Cheshire Rail User Group, supports and actively campaigns for an improved service at this station and for this railway line. Public transport interchange At the station exit, there are hourly bus services. The number X2, operated by Stagecoach Merseyside, operates towards Runcorn, or in the opposite direction, towards Ellesmere Port and onward towards Chester. Buses run until around 19:00 local time. These services only run Monday–Saturday. This means that Ince and Elton villages are not served by any public transport on Sundays. There is a free small car park located just outside the station. There is no CCTV or staff at this station. Freight Freightliner usually run a class 70 'heavy-haul' service to Ellesmere Port twice a day from/to Fiddlers Ferry on Monday to Fridays. On Saturdays there is one scheduled working. When the Shell oil refinery at Stanlow used the railways to transport freight, over fifteen trains per day used this line. Since then, the sidings and signal box have been removed, and freight is becoming increasingly rare on this line. No freight trains currently use the station, other than to pass through it. References Notes Sources Further reading External links Railway stations in Cheshire DfT Category F2 stations Former Birkenhead Railway stations Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1863 Northern franchise railway stations