PRIME MINISTER Andy Burnham has congratulated Steve Rotheram following the launch in St Helens of the region's first publicly controlled bus services for 40 years.
In a post on X, Mr Burnham said: “Congratulations to Steve and the Liverpool City Region for today putting buses back under public control after 40 years of deregulation.
“This is what putting power back into communities looks like.”
His comments came as the Liverpool City Region officially began the first phase of its bus franchising programme in St Helens, introducing publicly controlled services, a new fleet of Metro-branded buses and a series of timetable improvements.
Gleaming yellow buses have been spotted on routes around town today, including areas such as Bridge Street in St Helens town centre.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has described the move as a historic milestone and the biggest transport change in the city region for a generation.
The changes include more frequent services on some routes, additional evening and Sunday buses, route extensions and the new X3 express service linking St Helens directly with Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
Mr Rotheram was aboard the first service to head out of St Helens on the airport route this morning.
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The transition to public control began in St Helens on Sunday, with other parts of the city region set to follow in phases before the entire network comes under the franchised model by the end of 2027.
The launch also coincides with the introduction of the first vehicles from a £150m fleet of 560 publicly owned buses which will eventually operate across the city region.
The new yellow and grey Metro-branded buses feature air conditioning, USB charging points, audio and visual passenger information systems, improved accessibility features and dedicated spaces for wheelchairs and prams as part of efforts to modernise the network and improve the passenger experience.
Mr Rotheram has previously said bringing buses back under public control will allow the Combined Authority to determine routes, timetables and fares, creating a more integrated public transport system and ensuring services are designed around passengers rather than commercial priorities.
The first phase of bus franchising covers services in and around St Helens, with Wirral set to follow later this year before Knowsley, Liverpool and Sefton join the network during 2027.
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