First publicly owned buses hit the road
BBCThe first buses under public control in Merseyside have hit the road in St Helens.
The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) said the "rollout of the first locally-run bus services" in the area is the "biggest change to public transport in the region for more than a generation".
A new X3 Express service service to Liverpool John Lennon Airport has begun, as well as an early morning express journey to Southport and an evening return.
The LCRCA It said there would be bigger buses on some routes and improved access to Edge Hill University and Ormskirk, as well as more links to local hospitals.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said public control over the bus network would lead to greater accountability, and a clear governance structure.
Performance data will be regularly published and scrutinised, and there will be easy-to-use systems for public feedback.
Buses and the Merseyrail trains are branded with the name and logo 'Metro'.
But an LCRCA spokesman said there was no official brand name yet.
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