Bus franchising for Liverpool?

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of Liverpool City Region, has set out how he will “take greater control” of buses.

The Mayor plans to use additional powers over bus services granted to areas with a Metro Mayor through the Bus Services Act to do this in his region. He has announced what he describes as a “significant big bus conversation” with the public and all stakeholders with an interest in bus services to help shape the future of buses in the city region.

The announcement is part of a major speech in which the Metro Mayor talked about the importance of buses to local people, businesses and the economy as a whole. He mentioned that the Liverpool City Region has some of the best bus services in the country. Bus use in the area has increased by 16% to 147 million journeys a year, last year, with 92% of users happy with their experience.

Stever Rotheram also announced discounted bus travel schemes for apprentices as part of a speech exploring the future of bus services in the city region. The scheme, brought in after working with Bus Alliance partners Stagecoach and Arriva, will introduce half-price weekly and four-weekly bus passes for all apprentices aged 19 to 24. Prices will be in line with Merseytravel’s already great-value Solo bus tickets for under-19s, which means that any apprentice up to the age of 25 will get half-price travel on buses, saving up to £420 per year.