Improved bus services on the way as Wirral moves to public control
More evening and Sunday services, extended routes and brand-new links for Arrowe Park and Clatterbridge Hospitals are some of the key improvements coming to Wirral bus services as public control of the network begins on Sunday 25 October.
Full details of the changes, designed to make buses more dependable and easy-to-use ahead of the roll out, have been announced by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
- More frequent buses, extended routes and improved evening and Sunday timetables across the Wirral network.
- Brand-new links for Arrowe Park and Clatterbridge Hospitals to be introduced from the first day of services.
- Route numbers to have ‘4’ added to create simpler system covering the whole regional bus network.
- Plans build on the successful rollout of publicly-run services in St Helens earlier this month.
Buses running every two hours in Wirral will become hourly while other routes will be extended to improve connections across the borough.
Passengers in Wirral can also look forward to travelling on an-all new fleet of state-of-the-art, low-emission buses – packed with passenger-focused features including more comfortable seating and USB charging.
Bus services in Wirral are getting new numbers to create a simpler, unified network across the entire Liverpool City Region. All new and existing Wirral routes will now start with the number 4 – for example, the service 17 will become 417.
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.
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.
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.
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. 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.
These changes build on the successful launch of publicly controlled buses in St Helens earlier this month, with passengers there travelling on brand-new buses, taking advantage of new routes and more evening and weekend services – all benefits now being brought to the Wirral bus network.
In 2023, Mayor Steve Rotheram took the landmark decision to bring the region's bus network back into public control. This means local communities and passengers come first, with the Combined Authority now being able to make decisions around when, where and how often buses run.
The move is part of Mayor Steve Rotheram’s pledge to create a faster, greener and better-connected transport network that works for the 1.6 million residents of the City Region.
Since the Mayor was first elected, the Combined Authority has invested more than £500m in the rail network, delivered new stations at Maghull North and Headbolt Lane, and is progressing plans for four more stations across the Merseyrail network.
Tap-and-go ticketing has been rolled out on the Merseyrail network making train travel easier and more affordable, major investment is being made in walking and cycling infrastructure and plans for a rapid transit system will better connect communities to jobs, education and opportunities.
Following the rollout of services Wirral and St Helens this autumn, public control of the bus network will be phased in across the City Region, with Liverpool, Knowsley and Sefton by the end of 2027.
Full details of the improvements to routes and services in Wirral can be found on the Merseytravel website.
