Mayor Steve Rotheram’s plan to bring back Liverpool city region buses under public control for the first time in 40 years becomes a reality in September with extra services and a new airport link. Tony McDonough reports
A new link to Liverpool John Lennon Airport will be among the expansion of services as Liverpool city region buses come under public control for the first time in 40 years.
In 1986, Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Government deregulated bus services across the UK. Now, four decades on, city region Mayor Steve Rotheram is to begin reversing that process, starting in St Helens.
From September services from the town will be under public control via Mr Rotheram’s bus franchising plan. Passengers can also look forward to travelling on a new fleet of low-emission buses.
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has published full details of improvements ahead of the introduction of bus franchising in St Helens on Sunday, September 6.
Buses running every two hours in St Helens will become hourly while other routes will be extended to give better connections to hospitals, colleges and rail stations. From day one there will also be an express link to Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
Some services will also be renumbered to remove duplicate service numbers, creating one easy-to-understand network.
“In the 1980s our bus services were deregulated,” said the Mayor. “So now, for the first time in four decades, we are bringing our bus services back where they belong – under public control.
“This is a historic milestone for St Helens and a major step forward in delivering the biggest transport change in our region’s history. From day one, passengers in St Helens will see a real, tangible difference.
In June Liverpool city region’s new 108-strong fleet of electric buses entered service following the multi-million pound upgrade of Gillmoss depot in north Liverpool.
Gillmoss has been upgraded in a project which saw the Combined Authority work with Scottish Power Energy Networks, electrical vehicle charging specialists VEV, bus operator Stagecoach and Liverpool City Council.
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Cllr Dr R George Woodward, leader of St Helens Council, added: “I am pleased that St Helens borough will be the first in the Liverpool city region to benefit from buses coming back under public control.
Following the September rollout in St Helens, public control of the bus network will be phased in across the city region, with Wirral following in October 2026 and Liverpool, Knowsley and Sefton by the end of 2027.