The worst public transport journeys in Liverpool, according to you

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram recently gave residents of Merseyside the chance to voice their concerns and frustrations about the state of public transport in the region.

Taking to twitter, he asked: “What are the best and worst journeys to make by public transport in the Liverpool City Region?”

The responses came thick and fast... and the majority were critical.

The question came as plans were announced to bring the LCR’s buses back under regulated public control.

More than 80% of journeys on the city region’s public transport network – over 400,000 a day – are made by bus.

However, it appears the Metro Mayor has a much bigger job on his hands than wrestling back control of the buses, with a lack of transport links to the airport and a paucity of late night services really provoking the public’s ire.

How did the public respond?

Many residents’ concerns were with rail transport, and one issue in particular was repeated: the lack of late-night trains to the places outside of the city, like Wirral.

One respondent, @PMCou, said “Remove the barrier of the Mersey by having later trains on weekends, this would encourage more young people to choose to live in the wider Merseyside area but want to still have a social life in Liverpool without paying a £30 tax(i)”

The £30 being the price of a taxi back across the water, or elsewhere outside the city centre, after the trains stop operating.

Another, @Paddy_Ryan, said: “No way of getting back to Wirral as public transport (trains and buses), no longer run through the night. And now taxis charge more as they know you have no way of getting back.”

One user suggested a potential solution: that the LCR Combined Authority brings back the night bus to the Wirral.

Merseyrail’s outdated ticketing system also received some flak, with @impware calling it a ‘shambles.’

Another, juliettebauccio, said: “Without a proper unified ticketing system, you’re never going to get a fair price on your journeys. A bus journey within Merseyside should have one ticket and the ability to transfer to another route within 90 minutes. Standard in many cities.”

Call for more stations

Another popular topic was the loss and lack of various local bus and train stations and connections throughout Liverpool and surrounding areas.

User @EthanJamesCarr1 said: “We need an expanded rail service, transforming Central and the Wapping tunnel to accommodate services to the east of the city is imperative, and reopening the Bootle branch would make Tuebrook, Anfield and County Road more accessible to Merseyrail passengers.”

Another, @Connor_Southern, said: “The lack of train stations in south Liverpool, means I have to drive to either Broadgreen or Halewood to get a train anywhere.”

User lee_1878 said simply: “Open up Sefton Park train station again.”

The airport

A lack of transport links with Liverpool John Lennon Airport was also a major issue.

@SeppyD was surprised a direct rail service to the airport had not already been put in place, saying: “Train service to the airport is nothing special.”

While @TommyBumdell was more outraged, saying: “How haven’t we got a dedicated train line to the airport yet? Or at the very least one actually in Speke? Transport links from Speke to city centre are terrible”

One said: “Bus from the airport to the centre. Bring back a fast direct bus or tram to the centre.”

In a connected tweet they said that it “harms growth not to have something like this”.

Trams found their way into the conversation once more, with @MinitureMo calling for their implementation to solve the problem of the airport link.

They said: “Can we have a tram/train that goes directly to @LPL_Airport having to get off the train then get a bus is a pain. We need a tram system.”

Is it time for the Liverpool City Region to integrate a tram system?