Night buses return to Liverpool and Wirral - when new N1 service will start

Night buses are set to return to Liverpool, offering 'safer, cheaper and easier' transport between the city and the Wirral.

Buses and trains from Liverpool usually stop before midnight, causing particular difficulty for those travelling to the Wirral, who face expensive taxi fares due to tunnel tolls. However, clubbers and shift workers will soon be able to travel across the Mersey into the early hours of the morning as part of a new scheme being launched in the Liverpool City Region.

The new N1 service, which will be operated by Stagecoach, will begin on Friday, December 8 just after midnight, with buses running every hour until around 5.00am every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Late night bus services between Liverpool and Wirral were removed during the COVID-19 pandemic and temporarily returned in May this year to deal with the huge crowds at the Eurovision Song Contest. Since their removal, residents across the Liverpool City Region have called for permanent night buses to make a comeback, noting safety issues and financial difficulties when travelling home at night.

The new N1 night bus will run between Birkenhead and Allerton with stops across Liverpool city centre. The route also includes stops serving Toxteth, Wavertree and Mossley Hill and single tickets will cost £2. Weekly and monthly passes, as well as Saveaway and day rider tickets, will not be accepted on the service. 

The service will is part of a new trial, which Liverpool's Metro Mayor hopes will help people to get home safely.

Mr Rotheram explained: “We’re about to enter the busiest time of the year for our visitor economy and, while we want everyone to have a great time celebrating in our region, we also want them to get home safely. We’ve worked closely with local campaigners, students, late night workers and our hospitality industry to bring back late bus services between Liverpool and the Wirral to make it safer, cheaper and easier for people to travel home – without having to cut the party short.

“This a massive result for local people, many who have been campaigning for this moment for three years. Following our decision to take back control of the region’s buses and move towards a franchised system, this is another positive step on the journey to putting the public back at the heart of public transport.”

Matt Davies, managing director of Stagecoach Merseyside, added: “We are pleased to be working with the Mayor and are excited to relaunch this much-anticipated commercial Night Bus Service, creating new links and better coverage than what we have had previously and with a much lower fare, addressing the need for accessible and affordable transportation during late-night hours.”

Full N1 timetables will be available soon at Merseytravel.gov.uk and stagecoachbus.com.