The Wirral line Merseyrail train came off the tracks in a tunnel 200m from Liverpool Central Station in 2005.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said the main cause was the widening of the track gauge because of its poor condition.

Network Rail said it would carefully considers its recommendations.

Maintenance issues

The accident happened in the one-way "loop" part of the network, about 200m from Liverpool Central station on 26 October 2005.

All passengers were led to safety within two hours and there were no major injuries after the train jumped the tracks.

The RAIB report, published on Friday, criticised the maintenance of the track and recommended changes to Network Rail's systems for looking after it.

A spokesman said the company would give careful consideration to the points raised.

"As owner and maintainer of the railway infrastructure in Liverpool, we have specialist knowledge of the unique engineering challenges we face there," he said.

"Operating this infrastructure requires us to have a bespoke maintenance regime in place, fully and competently resourced. This was and remains the case."

At the time of the incident, the company had embarked on a three-year project to renew the section of track where the accident happened, the spokesman added.

He said Network Rail was investing £72m to operate, maintain and renew the Merseyrail network, £24m of which was being spent on new track.

Train operator Merseytravel, which was singled out for one of the recommendations, has been critical of Network Rail in the past.

Chairman Mark Dowd said the report backed Merseytravel's previous calls for full local control over the network, including the track.

He said this would be in the best interests of its customers, commuters in Merseyside.