Over 80 Wirral bus services cut since 2010

Eighty-seven bus services have been cut in Wirral since 2010.

The routes that connected places like New Brighton, Neston, and Saughall Massie to Liverpool and other areas are one of 8,613 bus routes across England that have been cut over the last 13 years.

As of September 2023, there are currently 104 services operating in Wirral with 36 running through the week as well as 68 school services.

The cuts come as the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority looks to overhaul the way buses are run following a major consultation that ended in early August. This saw thousands of people have their say on how services would be run.

Businesses have also been campaigning to see certain services restored such as night buses along certain routes. Supporters point to the positive impact these could have on the night-time economy and making sure people working late shifts can get home safely.

In places like Woodchurch and Heswall, people said it was difficult getting back home at night if they were working late and one family doesn’t go on days out on Sundays because it’s too difficult without a car.

Rachel Furber recently started an Airbnb to get some extra income but said a lack of public transport has had a very negative impact.

She only had one night booked as Liverpool hosted Eurovision earlier this year and when golf’s Open Championship came to Hoylake in July she had to pick one family up because of a lack of transport options.

She added, “Obviously this was the best year to start thanks to the Eurovision and the Golf Open but despite being in a very central location for public transport, getting to Hoylake can take anything between 50 minutes and 1 hour 20 plus walking time. It put a lot of people off.”

Ms Furber said that after surgery she is not able to drive, making the lack of good public transport an ‘isolating’ issue.

In Heswall, the lack of a direct service to Clatterbridge Hospital from the town is a problem and getting to doctor’s appointments can sometimes take up to one and a half hours each way.

Others said bus services to Chester and West Kirby stopping at 6pm and not running on a Sunday is an issue with their children not being able to go out for the day because of this.

In Irby, people have complained about a lack of direct connections without changing over in Birkenhead and that accessibility and space for prams was an issue leaving people waiting for the next bus which might not be another hour.

The Liverpool City Region’s Combined Authority is currently consulting on the next stage of a plan for a franchising scheme for the region’s bus network,

If approved, the network will come back into public control, with private operators like Arriva having to compete to run services on behalf of the combined authority.

Franchising, which is already underway in Greater Manchester, is expected to cost £341m which will be paid back through fares.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said, “We have received thousands of submissions to the region’s bus reform consultation and, while we’re still in the process of analysing the responses, one thing is clear: buses matter to local people. I know from the conversations I’ve had with businesses and residents across our region that there is overwhelming support to bring buses back under public control.

“Across the Liverpool City Region, 82% of all public transport journeys are taken by bus. They are a vital public service that connect people not only with opportunity, but with each other. But for too many people, the bus network is too confusing, too expensive and too unreliable.

“Reregulation would give the Combined Authority greater control over routes, fares and timetables – and the ability to cross-subsidise services so that profitable routes help to support much-needed community buses that have been cut by private operators. In the next few weeks, alongside local leaders, we’ll be taking a major decision on the way our buses are run.

“Reforming our region’s bus network is a key part of my ambition to build a London-style integrated transport network that is faster, cheaper, cleaner and better connected – and the very least that our residents deserve.”

Full list of Wirral bus services cut since 2010

Image: GOOGLE

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