Metro mayor Steve Rotheram says ‘This is the start of a public transport revolution’
Steve Rotheram has welcomed the move to take buses back into public ownership(Image: )
The operators of the first publicly owned buses in the Liverpool City Region for generations have been revealed. From later this year, a fleet of buses will roll out from St Helens after the city region’s combined authority (CA) brought them back into public control under a franchising model.
The historic move gives the CA power to set fares, routes and timetables. It has been a key pledge of Mayor Steve Rotheram’s time in power.
Now ahead of the first tranche of publicly managed services going live later this year, Mayor Rotheram has confirmed who will provide the vehicles to run under the new model. Speaking outside St Helens Town Hall this morning, the Metro Mayor announced Stagecoach and Go North West would take on the routes.
Under franchising, the Liverpool City Region is the second area in England after Greater Manchester to bring its buses back under public control. St Helens is the first of the six local authority areas to embark on the new services.
Wirral will follow suit later this year. Sefton, Knowsley and Liverpool will be completed by September 2027.
The signing of the deals marks the first time bus services have been in public control since they were de-regulated under the Thatcher Conservative government in the 1980s.
Stagecoach has been announced as the operator for the St Helens routes while Go North West will take over running on the Wirral. Go North West currently operates a number of services as part of the Bee Network operating across Greater Manchester.
Some of the city region’s new buses on show in St Helens(Image: )
Addressing assembled dignitaries at St Helens Town Hall as the contracts were unveiled, Mr Rotheram said: “This is the start of a public transport revolution.” He added: “We want to do an awful lot more for the people we represent on day one.
“We’re doing this to improve services, we want this to be a genuine quality alternative to people jumping in the car. We want to see footfall increase because that means the farebox, which we now control, means we can do other things.”
Cllr Anthony Burns, leader of St Helens Council, added: “We’re delighted to be the first to go, delighted to see the two brand new buses outside, but more delighted at the difference it will make for our residents.”
