Wirral will become the second area in the Liverpool City Region to run publicly owned bus services from October 25, with a much-changed operation hitting the roads across the borough.
New links to Wirral's major hospitals, extended routes and more frequent services will all form part of the new publicly controlled network. The buses are clad in the distinctive yellow, black, and grey Metro livery, matching the new trains for the Merseyrail network.
New routes and frequencies
Buses running every two hours in Wirral will now become hourly, while other routes will be extended to give better connections to key locations such as Arrowe Park and Clatterbridge Hospitals. All new and existing services will now start with the number 4 – for example, the service 17 will become 417.
Built entirely in the UK, the vehicles have been designed around the needs of passengers and are equipped with a range of hi-spec features, including air conditioning, USB charging points and more comfortable seats.
Hospital links and circular services
Among the changes, the 414 service will be re-routed to serve Mount Road (New Brighton) and Prenton Dell, while a new circular run has been created to link Arrowe Park Hospital with West Kirby, Meols, Hoylake, Moreton, Saughall Massie and Upton.
Clatterbridge Hospital will be connected to Irby and Heswall through a new service. The 417 service will now have evening and Sunday services, while the 471 and 472 routes will begin earlier. The 480 will increase to hourly journeys, as will the 482 to Heswall via Thurstaston.
Public control and local reaction
Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: "Back in the 80s, our bus services were deregulated. Now, for the first time in 40 years, we're bringing them back under public control where they belong.
"Following our launch in St Helens earlier this month, this is another huge step toward building the public transport network our region deserves. From day one, passengers in Wirral will see real improvements."
He added: "We're putting on more frequent buses, running better evening and Sunday timetables, and adding direct links to both Arrowe Park and Clatterbridge hospitals. We are building a first-class network that local people deserve and putting the public back into public transport."
The 491, 492 and 495 services run on evenings and Sundays will also operate hourly, while the 407 service from Liverpool City Centre will now terminate at Town Meadow, with the remaining route to West Kirby covered by the 438 and new circular bus services 483 and 484.
Cllr Paula Basnett, leader of Wirral Council, said: "This is one of the biggest changes to our bus network in a generation and an important milestone for public transport in Wirral. Residents have told us they want services that are reliable, affordable and fit around their lives, and that's exactly what these improvements are designed to deliver."
St Helens became the first area across the six council boundaries to roll out the new services earlier this month. Basnett added: "Whether it's getting to work, college, hospital appointments or spending time with family and friends, better bus services help connect people to opportunity. More frequent services, better evening and weekend connections, and improved links to major hospitals will help people get where they need to be more easily and conveniently."
She concluded: "These changes are a great example of how investment in public transport can deliver real benefits for residents while helping us build a better connected, greener and more inclusive borough."
