Talks of Liverpools bus network being "council" run

[Barney]

RE: Talks of Liverpools bus network being "council" run

(01/11/2014 04:50)Valandil Wrote:  I wonder how routes extending to places outside the Merseytravel zone would be affected by these plans.

IF this proposal ever comes about - and I for one hope it does - I would like to think that cross-border routes (Merseyside/Cheshire and Lancashire) would be negotiated and agreed between the two relevant authorities.

For anyone on this forum to have any real memory of bus operations before the setting up of the MPTE, they would now be close to being eligible for a Merseytravel bus pass. It therefore might surprise some people to learn that before the establishment of the PTE, on the Wirral Birkenhead and Wallasey Corporations had clearly defined operating areas and did not cross into each others area. Travelling from Bebington to New Brighton necessitated using buses operated by two different corporations and paying two lots of fares.

In Liverpool, Ribble services that operated through Bootle from Crosby, Thornton and Southport were not allowed to pick up passengers after the stop at North Park and were not allowed to let passengers from Liverpool alight until North Park. Consequently, passengers could only ever use the joint services(the 50s services) but not the L or S services.

Also, in those days the 10 - one of the busiest routes in Liverpool - terminated at Prescot and if a passenger wanted to continue on to St Helens they had to board a St Helens Corporation vehicle.

With the establishment of MPTE in 1970 and its enlargement in 1974 these issues were resolved. I am sure that should this proposal to set up a franchising system ever happen cross-border services would easily be accommodated.