Arriva Merseyside pledges to improve bus services with community group

Arriva Merseyside has pledged to work with a community group to improve bus services in the area.

Representatives from Arriva attended an event organised by Liverpool Citizens, part of the Citizens UK scheme.

A number of issues were discussed in the founding assembly, including bus services.

“We pledge that we will work with Liverpool Citizens for the common good of the city” – Richard Hoare, area director for Arriva North West 

Richard Hoare, area director for Arriva North West attended and made the following pledge: “We pledge that we will work with Liverpool Citizens for the common good of the city.

“We will be accountable for the commitments we make. We will meet regularly and engage collaboratively in a spirit of public service.”

Arriva Merseyside operates more than 500 vehicles, employing in excess of 1,500 colleagues.

During the Liverpool Citizens assembly, the group flagged up some issues with a couple of routes, which Mr Hoare said he will look into and report back.

Following the meeting, he said: “We will be doing further listening in early 2025 and plan to engage further with Liverpool Citizens on particular challenges affecting our communities in relation to buses.

“We look forward to building a positive and constructive relationship with them and the Arriva team going forward.”

Liverpool Citizens is an alliance of cross-sector, local organisations working together for the common good to empower people in their communities to make change.

“We look forward to building a constructive relationship with Arriva in early 2025 to work together on addressing these issues and improving local transport” – Frank Burns, member of Liverpool Citizens Transport Action Group

Frank Burns, member of Liverpool Citizens Transport Action Group and a staff member at the Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, said: “At Liverpool Citizens, we listened to members of our community who shared their experiences with the cost and reliability of local bus routes, which have affected their ability to get to work and school on time.

“They spoke of cancellations and delays that were having a significant impact on their lives.

“We look forward to building a constructive relationship with Arriva in early 2025 to work together on addressing these issues and improving local transport.”