St Helens Leads the Way as Buses Return to Public Control

From Sunday 6th September 2026, St Helens becomes the first place in the Liverpool City Region to see its buses come back under public control and the improvements landing on Day One are by no means insignificant. Two-hourly routes are being upgraded to hourly, evening and weekend timetables are being extended and a brand-new express link to Liverpool John Lennon Airport is being introduced from the off.

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

It's the first time in more than 40 years that a local authority in the region has had this level of control over its own bus network and St Helens is the trailblazer for a rollout that will eventually cover the whole City Region.

Bus Franchising

For anyone new to the term, bus franchising flips the model bus deregulation created back in the 1980s. Instead of private operators deciding routes, frequencies and fares independently, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority now sets the network, and operators run the services under contract. It's the same principle already bedded in across Greater Manchester's Bee Network, and long-time readers will recognise the pattern even if the branding here is new.

Tweaking the Network

The changes in St Helens are designed to make the network easier to use as much as more frequent. As well as the frequency boosts, several routes are being extended to give better connections to hospitals, colleges and rail stations, and a batch of services are being renumbered to iron out duplicate route numbers across the wider region, creating one easy-to-understand network rather than a patchwork of local schemes. As a result of the changes, an additional 5,000 residents will fall within a 400-metre walk of a bus stop.

New Metal, New Livery

Passengers will also get a brand-new fleet of low-emission buses, built entirely in the UK and finished in the Liverpool City Region's yellow, black and grey Metro livery, a similar identity already carried by the region's new trains.

On board, passengers can expect air conditioning, USB charging points, more comfortable seating, extra wheelchair and pram space, and audio-visual next stop announcements. These join the 108 electric buses already running in the region as part of a wider fleet modernisation drive that also takes in new trains and the first new Mersey Ferry in over 60 years.

The Mayor's View

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:

"In the 80s our bus services were deregulated. So now, for the first time in four decades, we are bringing our bus services back where they belong – under public control. This is a historic milestone for St Helens and a major step forward in delivering the biggest transport change in our region's history.

"New trains, a new ferry 'cross the Mersey, new buses across a newly franchised network, Merseyrail coming back under public control, new train stations and a brand-new rapid transit system on the way, this is nothing short of a public transport revolution.

"From day one, passengers in St Helens will see a real, tangible difference. We are doubling frequencies on crucial routes, expanding evening and weekend services, and launching a brand-new direct express link to Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

"We're backing this new era with state-of-the-art, low-emission buses fully equipped with modern features like USB charging points. This, alongside our new £35 million transport interchange, built in the heart of St Helens Town Centre, demonstrates the benefit of being part of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. We are building a first-class, green network that local people can truly be proud of."

The Council's Welcome

Cllr Dr R. George Woodward, Leader of St Helens Borough Council, said:

"Access to reliable, modern public transportation is vital for our communities, and I am pleased that St Helens Borough will be the first in the Liverpool City Region to benefit from buses coming back under public control. I remain optimistic that this bus franchising scheme will result in more frequent services, extended operations, and better route planning to serve the residents of St Helens Borough. It's my responsibility to ensure that the services offered by the LCRCA are of good quality and deliver proper value for taxpayers in the borough.

"In my Liverpool City Region role, I shall be evaluating the changes brought about by bus franchising to ensure effective delivery to meet our public transportation needs. St Helens Borough will also benefit from brand new diesel buses – I'm pleased that our fleet will feature proven, reliable, affordable industrial technology. I strongly encourage St Helens Borough residents to make good use of their new buses."

Interchange Progress

The new fleet and timetable overhaul arrive alongside the ongoing build of the St Helens Transport Interchange, funded with £32m from the Combined Authority. Once complete, it will bring bus and rail services together under one roof with climate-controlled waiting areas, step-free access and digital real-time information screens, and it's already an upgrade running in parallel with depot works elsewhere in the region as franchising beds in.

Timeline

The road to 6th September stretches back to 2023, when Mayor Steve Rotheram and the Combined Authority took the landmark decision to bring buses back under public control for the first time since deregulation. Operators for the first franchised contracts were confirmed in January this year, before St Helens becomes the first area to go live under the new model. Wirral follows in October 2026, with Liverpool, Knowsley and Sefton completing the rollout by the end of 2027, bringing the entire City Region network under public control inside a single Mayoral term.

Part of a Bigger Picture

Buses are only one strand of it. Since Rotheram's election, the Combined Authority has ploughed more than £500m into the rail network, opened new stations at Maghull North and Headbolt Lane, and is progressing four more. Tap-and-go ticketing is now live on Merseyrail, and a rapid transit system is in the pipeline to connect communities to jobs, education and opportunity across the region.

Full details of the route and timetable changes in St Helens are available on the Merseytravel website.