PUBLIC consultation on how bus services could be improved in St Helens is underway ahead of the biggest shake up to the region’s network in almost 40 years.

Last year Mayor Steve Rotheram made the landmark decision to take back control of bus services in the Liverpool City Region following the recommendation of local authority leaders.

The decision followed a major public consultation in which around 70% of people backed plans for franchising.

Mr Rotheram said: "Hundreds of thousands of people in our area rely on buses to get about every day, with 82% of all public transport journeys taken by bus.

"Franchising is the biggest shake up to our region’s buses in four decades and, while it will take a few years to reregulate the entire network, the change will be transformational.

"We will have greater control over fares, tickets and routes to ensure that services are run in the best interests of passengers – not shareholders.

"We're taking back control of our network and putting our buses back where they belong: under public control.

"It is another massive step forward on our journey to building an integrated London-style transport network that will make getting around our region faster, cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable."

The Combined Authority today starts four weeks of public engagement with people being invited to take part in an online survey or attend one of seven in-person roadshows being held across the borough.

St Helens is set to become the first area to introduce bus franchising as part of a phased introduction from 2026.

Residents will be able to give feedback on bus connections they would like to see and potential future improvements to the network. The survey will also ask people to suggest changes that might encourage them to uses buses more frequently.

The Combined Authority will now deliver a franchised bus service for the region that will allow greater local control over fares, routes and timetables, with services operated in the interests of passengers and surplus profit reinvested into improving the network.

A fully franchised system is expected to be in place across the whole of the city region by the end of 2028.

In the coming months people will also be invited to make their voice heard about services in – Halton, Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton and Wirral.

The St Helens bus franchising consultation began today (Monday, February 19 and runs until Sunday, March 17.

To take part online survey go to liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/movingbusesforward

St Helens franchising roadshow events will be taking place at the below locations on these dates:

  • Monday, February 26: St Helens Travel Centre Bickerstaffe Street, WA10 1DH from 10am–4.30pm
  • Tuesday, February 27 and Thursday, February 29: Opposite Cassandra’s Coffee House St Marys Arcade, WA10 1AR from 10am-4pm
  • Friday, March 1: Earlestown Market Earlestown, WA12 9AQ from 10am-2pm
  • Monday, March 4: March Chester Lane Library Four Acre Lane, WA9 4DE from 11.30am-3.30pm
  • Tuesday, March 5: Rainford Village Hall 34 Church Road, WA11 8HB from 1pm-5pm
  • Wednesday, March 6: St Andrews Church Hall / The Hub Dentons Green, WA10 6RU from 1.30pm-5.30pm
  • Thursday, March 7: Haydock Library Church Road, WA11 0LY from 10.30am-2.30pm

Cllr David Baines, leader of St Helens Council, said: "Buses are the backbone of the public transport network here in St Helens – tens of thousands of residents every day use the bus to travel to work, school and college, to the shops or to see family and friends.

"We need a bus service that is affordable, reliable and works for everyone in our region, which is why last year Mayor Rotheram took the important decision to undo nearly 40 years of deregulation and bring bus services under local public control.

"Now we're asking people in St Helens and beyond to let us know what they want to see from new, franchised bus services in the borough.

"Whether you take part in the survey online, or attend an in-person roadshow session, we want to hear from you.”