Liverpool City Region Bus Franchising

[St Helens Rider]

RE: Liverpool City Region Bus Franchising
Noticed a few timetables have been updated. The X3 now shows which stops are served, the 37/37A now runs outbound via Duke Street (originally via Kirkland Street) and the 23 now starts/finishes on Westfield Street (originally Chalon Way). These are what noticed so far.

[Olympian2100]

RE: Liverpool City Region Bus Franchising
I was chatting with a near neighbour who works at Southport Depot and he was telling me a few of the plans for the Sefton Franchise.
Southport are to take on the Maghull Circulars, 31/31A, 32/32A and 33. Plus the 36, which runs from Aintree Hospital to Maghull.
The intention is to reinstate all the Southport Local services that Arriva have withdrawn over the years to give a more comprehensive network there.
The daftest plan is to run the 300 Southport to Liverpool 24 hours a day!! As the route hardly picks up anyone between Lydiate and the edge of Southport most of the time during the day, this is clearly a waste of money.
Mind you, as these are only plans, I'm sure they will be amended between now and the Franchise start date.

He did say the staff at Southport should know who the successful bidder is sometime next month. He also said that no one Company can operate more than 30% of the bus services on Merseyside, so would that preclude Stagecoach and Go Ahead from winning any more Franchises?

[gka472l]

RE: Liverpool City Region Bus Franchising
Winners of the contract to supply vehicles, presume for tranche 2 from the dates awarded.....

https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/N...45567-2026

[Route102]

RE: Liverpool City Region Bus Franchising

(07/08/2026 14:31)Olympian2100 Wrote:  I was chatting with a near neighbour who works at Southport Depot and he was telling me a few of the plans for the Sefton Franchise.
Southport are to take on the Maghull Circulars, 31/31A, 32/32A and 33. Plus the 36, which runs from Aintree Hospital to Maghull.
The intention is to reinstate all the Southport Local services that Arriva have withdrawn over the years to give a more comprehensive network there.
The daftest plan is to run the 300 Southport to Liverpool 24 hours a day!! As the route hardly picks up anyone between Lydiate and the edge of Southport most of the time during the day, this is clearly a waste of money.
Mind you, as these are only plans, I'm sure they will be amended between now and the Franchise start date.

He did say the staff at Southport should know who the successful bidder is sometime next month. He also said that no one Company can operate more than 30% of the bus services on Merseyside, so would that preclude Stagecoach and Go Ahead from winning any more Franchises?

Route network hasn’t been agreed yet. Southport along with all the remaining sites will be announced in November as per LCRCA.

[Valandil]

RE: Liverpool City Region Bus Franchising
Timetables for the 10/10A now available too.

[T42 PVM (Moderator)]

RE: Liverpool City Region Bus Franchising
That 10A Timetable will really struggle, often 10A's are leaving Queen Square with a full standing load as it is

It is clear from this timetable & others along with the Buses ordered (only 30 seats on the biggest single decker) the person behind this does not use the St Helens Network. total shambles.

[sth77]

RE: Liverpool City Region Bus Franchising
Still a half hour 10 on a Saturday is not good for a major route. Hopefully we will see less single decks on the 10/A once September comes

[MTL0201]

RE: Liverpool City Region Bus Franchising
The 10 was every 30 minutes at d-reg, but was joined by a 10B [Liverpool-Rainhill Stoops] & 10C [Liverpool-Prescot, Thomas Drive] that combined the 10/10B/10C to every 15 minutes between Liverpool-Prescot.

I see the new 10A frequency will be every 10 minutes, were as it's every 7/8 minutes outside the Summer timetable which is not great, i see there's a timetable change for 30th August when the Autumn timetable kicks in, then the new timetable starts a week later 6th September when the franchising starts which is quite amusing.

The other headlines the new 10A timetable, most journey's run St Helens-Liverpool with the shorts being the last 2 journey's from St Helens to Page Moss or Prescot [there is a couple from Prescot to Liverpool], there is one that runs dead Liverpool to St Helens as that arrives in Liverpool One at 00.09, were the last 10A departs Liverpool One at 00.08

[Gazroberts80]

RE: Liverpool City Region Bus Franchising

(07/08/2026 16:21)gka472l Wrote:  Winners of the contract to supply vehicles, presume for tranche 2 from the dates awarded.....

https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/N...45567-2026

I thought I would take a very quick look at the cost of the buses ordered for Tranche 2.

Lot 1. Double Decker Bus - Diesel (Base Order)
Description
Quantum (Base): 130 Double Decker Vehicles Quantum (Max): 155 Double Decker Vehicles

Wrightbus = £49,736,168.40 inc VAT / 130 buses
= £382,586 per bus


Lot 2. Diesel - Double Decker Bus (Base Order)
Description
Quantum (Base): 117 Double Decker Vehicles Quantum (Max): 152 Double Decker Vehicles

Alexander Dennis = £43,643,400 inc VAT / 117 buses
= £373,020 per bus


Lot 3. Single Decker Bus - Diesel (Base Order)
Description
Quantum (Base) - 55 Single Decker Vehicles Quantum (Max) - 115 Single Decker Vehicles

Alexander Dennis = £17,775,229.20 inc VAT / 55
= £323,186 per bus


Lot 4. Midi Bus - Electric (Base Order)
Description
Purchase of Electric Vehicles Quantum (Base) - 24 Midi Vehicles Quantum (Max) - 40 Midi Vehicles

Alexander Dennis = £11,673,008.40 inc VAT / 24
= £486,375 per bus


Lot 5. Midi Bus - Diesel (Base Order)
Description
Quantum (Base) - 24 Midi Vehicles Quantum (Max) - 40 Midi Vehicles

Alexander Dennis = £7,874,084.40 inc VAT / 24
= £328,087 per bus


Lot 6. Single Decker Bus - Electric (Base Order)
Description
Quantum (Base) - 4 Single Decker Vehicles Quantum (Max) - 10 Single Decker Vehicles

Wrightbus = £2,588,637.60 / 4
= £647,159 per bus



Total Value Base Order - Tranche 2

Alexander Dennis = £80,965,722 inc VAT

Wrightbus = £52,324,806 inc VAT

£133,290,528 including VAT

[DVG526]

RE: Liverpool City Region Bus Franchising
£647,000 per bus. Wow!