 |
 |
|
Merseyside Buses - Before Franchising
In September 2026 the Merseyside region of the UK will see the
introduction of bus franchising. For the first time in forty years bus services
in the Liverpool City Region will be brought back into public control. Following a competitive tendering process,
two operators have been appointed to operate the first tranche from September
and October 2026. Stagecoach will
operate the St Helens bus network from September and Go Ahead (Go North West)
will operate the franchised bus network on the Wirral from October 2026.
The independent transport videos cameras filmed the bus operations on Merseyside during four visits that took place in July and September 2025 and in April and July 2026 to capture the then current scene that would change completely. In July 2025 we filmed at the busy bus stations at Liverpool One and Queen Square. Plenty of action is captured with Arriva and Stagecoach buses taking the main stage. As will be noted when we film in the same locations a year on in July 2026 most of the Stagecoach buses have left Liverpool to be cascaded around the country having been replaced by brand new Wright StreetDeck Electroliner double-deckers and brand new ADL Enviro400EV double-deckers in the smart deep yellow, black and two tone grey livery with ‘METRO’ fleetnames. In 2025 we also see some Arriva ADL Enviro200MMC single-deckers also in METRO yellow livery. In September a brief visit is filmed in James Street in Liverpool city centre.
In April 2026 we begin our filming at the temporary bus station at Chalon Way in St Helens. Currently all services, apart from a couple of routes operated by independents Hatton’s and HTL, are operated by Arriva. This will all change in September, as Stagecoach will take over all routes with a new fleet of Wright StreetDeck Ultraliners and ADL Enviro200MMC single-deckers. Plenty of action is filmed here that will all change in September. We now move back to Liverpool and film at Liverpool One bus station, Strand Street and Queen Square bus station. More ‘yellow’ buses are starting to appear as we see some new Arriva Volvo B8RLE / MCV eVoRa-bodied single-deckers in METRO livery and some repainted Stagecoach ADL Enviro400MMC double-deckers, but there are still plenty of Arriva’s Wright Gemini 2 low-height double-deck Volvo B5LH buses in the Arriva ‘electric-hybrid’ green and blue livery to be seen. Look out for Arriva 4704 (SL16 YPP), a former West Midlands Wright StreetDeck recently acquired. We then cross the River Mersey to Birkenhead and film at the bus station and along Conway Street. Here we see Stagecoach and Arriva buses in action.
In October Go North West will replace all the buses at the Arriva Laird Street depot with a new fleet of Wright Ultraliner double-deckers and ADL Enviro200MMC single-deckers. In July 2026 our cameras returned to Liverpool city centre. Most of the Stagecoach double-deckers have been replaced by brand new electric ones mentioned above on their first few days in service. Our cameras ride on three Wright StreetDeck Electoliners. 82441 (MD26 XPZ), from Liverpool One to Queen Square on a 10A service, returning to Liverpool One on 82429 (MW26 XZO) also on the 10A. Then we travel on 82443 (MD26 XRB) to Liverpool South Parkway, but return to Liverpool One on board Arriva 4681 (SK15 GZU), an ADL Enviro400 to complete our visit to Merseyside before franchising.
The independent transport videos cameras filmed the bus operations on Merseyside during four visits that took place in July and September 2025 and in April and July 2026 to capture the then current scene that would change completely. In July 2025 we filmed at the busy bus stations at Liverpool One and Queen Square. Plenty of action is captured with Arriva and Stagecoach buses taking the main stage. As will be noted when we film in the same locations a year on in July 2026 most of the Stagecoach buses have left Liverpool to be cascaded around the country having been replaced by brand new Wright StreetDeck Electroliner double-deckers and brand new ADL Enviro400EV double-deckers in the smart deep yellow, black and two tone grey livery with ‘METRO’ fleetnames. In 2025 we also see some Arriva ADL Enviro200MMC single-deckers also in METRO yellow livery. In September a brief visit is filmed in James Street in Liverpool city centre.
In April 2026 we begin our filming at the temporary bus station at Chalon Way in St Helens. Currently all services, apart from a couple of routes operated by independents Hatton’s and HTL, are operated by Arriva. This will all change in September, as Stagecoach will take over all routes with a new fleet of Wright StreetDeck Ultraliners and ADL Enviro200MMC single-deckers. Plenty of action is filmed here that will all change in September. We now move back to Liverpool and film at Liverpool One bus station, Strand Street and Queen Square bus station. More ‘yellow’ buses are starting to appear as we see some new Arriva Volvo B8RLE / MCV eVoRa-bodied single-deckers in METRO livery and some repainted Stagecoach ADL Enviro400MMC double-deckers, but there are still plenty of Arriva’s Wright Gemini 2 low-height double-deck Volvo B5LH buses in the Arriva ‘electric-hybrid’ green and blue livery to be seen. Look out for Arriva 4704 (SL16 YPP), a former West Midlands Wright StreetDeck recently acquired. We then cross the River Mersey to Birkenhead and film at the bus station and along Conway Street. Here we see Stagecoach and Arriva buses in action.
In October Go North West will replace all the buses at the Arriva Laird Street depot with a new fleet of Wright Ultraliner double-deckers and ADL Enviro200MMC single-deckers. In July 2026 our cameras returned to Liverpool city centre. Most of the Stagecoach double-deckers have been replaced by brand new electric ones mentioned above on their first few days in service. Our cameras ride on three Wright StreetDeck Electoliners. 82441 (MD26 XPZ), from Liverpool One to Queen Square on a 10A service, returning to Liverpool One on 82429 (MW26 XZO) also on the 10A. Then we travel on 82443 (MD26 XRB) to Liverpool South Parkway, but return to Liverpool One on board Arriva 4681 (SK15 GZU), an ADL Enviro400 to complete our visit to Merseyside before franchising.
|
|
|
| Filmed : | 2025 & 2026 |
| Duration : | 91 mins |
| Price : | Within UK - £16 |
| Rest of world - £18 | |
| Format : | DVD -R |
| Picture Aspect 16:9 | |
| Order Ref : | D514 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|