Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram signs deal with £200m-turnover media group to manage advertising on its new publicly-owned buses. Tony McDonough reports
Mayor Steve Rotheram is looking to maximise revenues from advertising on Liverpool city region’s new publicly-owned bus fleet by signing a major collaboration deal.
Global, a £200m-turnover London-based media and entertainment group, will take control of advertising space on the fleet of more than 100 low-emission, UK-built single and double decker vehicles.
Mr Rotheram says bus advertising is set to play a vital role in generating revenue for the Combined Authority as it works to bring services back under public control. Income generated through advertising to be reinvested directly into the public transport network.
One of the world’s leading media and entertainment groups, Global is home to media brands including Capital, Heart, Classic FM, LBC, Global’s Newsroom, Smooth, Radio X, Capital XTRA and Gold Radio.
Bringing our buses back under public control is about putting passengers first and making sure our network works for the people who rely on it every day,” the Mayor said.
“By making the most of our new fleet, we can bring in extra revenue that can be ploughed straight back into improving the whole system and delivering better services for passengers.
This new advertising agreement and policy will apply from September 2026 on the initial franchised bus routes in St Helens, which will be the first services to come under public control.
Bus services that have not yet transitioned to franchising will continue to operate under existing arrangements until they join the publicly controlled network as part of the phased rollout across the city region.
All advertising will meet the standards set out by the Combined Authority’s advertising policy, set earlier this year, which restricts the promotion of high fat, salt and sugar foods as well vaping and tobacco promotions on public assets, including the bus network.
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Nicole Guerretta, director of partnerships for transport and business development at Global, added: “We know the Liverpool market well and have been delivering bus advertising across the region for more than 20 years.
“We look forward to continuing that success in partnership with LCRCA and maximising the long-term value of the network for customers and advertisers.”