Public Funds Enable Reinstatement of Discontinued Bus Service

A Merseyside express bus service, discontinued two years ago, has been brought back into operation following an allocation of public funds. The X4 service, connecting Runcorn with Liverpool ONE bus station in the city centre, is scheduled to recommence operations on 16 December. According to Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, the service was initially terminated due to it being “not commercially viable”. Nevertheless, he expressed optimism that utilizing a temporary subsidy to reactivate it might draw in additional passengers and encourage private bus operators to assume responsibility for the route subsequently. The X4 journey from Runcorn to Liverpool is projected to last approximately 50 minutes, which is roughly half the duration of current services. The prior version of this route ceased in April 2022, coinciding with the discontinuation of the commercially run X1 service. Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside, Mr Rotheram stated: “Halton is a very important part of the city region and people there were missing out on opportunities because they were not getting from Halton to Liverpool in a reasonable time and vice versa.” He added: “So I had a lot of lobbying from the two local MPs there and they were very keen on a reinstatement of the old service or an improvement to that, and I think that’s what we’ve brought forward.” He concluded by saying: “It’s a quicker service and I think that might be more attractive to people.” The fare for this service will be limited to £2, consistent with the current freeze on adult single fares throughout the city region, which is effective until September 2025. The X4 will utilize vehicles from the combined authority’s recently acquired fleet, which are characterized by zero emissions and offer complimentary wi-fi and charging points. Its operation is planned on an hourly basis, including stops at Widnes, Speke, and Aigburth en route to the city centre. For further content, listeners can access the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story suggestions can also be submitted to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available for review.