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Wirral's bus network came under public control on Sunday, 25 October, for the first time in 40 years – and today is the first weekday for passengers on the new Metro network.
Merseytravel staff are at Birkenhead bus station and the Pyramids until 3pm for any questions you may have.
The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority now decides routes, timetables and standards, with buses run by transport companies under public contract.
Most routes have new numbers starting with a 4, so the 17 is now the 417, and a new fleet in the region's yellow and grey Metro livery is being rolled out.
The main changes, according to Merseytravel, are:
- New 483/484 circular services linking Arrowe Park Hospital with West Kirby, Meols, Hoylake, Moreton, Saughall Massie and Upton.
- A new 453 service from Thingwall Corner to Clatterbridge, linking Irby and Heswall to the hospital, with the Wirral Grammar Schools service renumbered 453S.
- The 407 from Liverpool no longer runs through to West Kirby and now terminates at Town Meadow in Moreton, with the 438 and 483/484 covering Moreton to West Kirby.
- The 414 now runs via St Catherine's Hospital and Prenton, with alternate journeys (414A) via Mount Road.
- The Liscard and Wallasey circulars, formerly the 106/107, are now the 405 and 406 and run every 60 minutes instead of every 90.
- A new 408 Liscard to Seacombe circular.
- Evening and Sunday journeys on the 417 and 413.
- The 480 West Kirby to Newton circular and the 482 Heswall to West Kirby now run hourly instead of every two hours, with the 482 extended to Heswall via Thurstaston.
- The 491 Birkenhead to Holmlands runs every 60 minutes on a revised route in Prenton and no longer serves Prenton Hall Road or Holm Lane.
- Evening and Sunday 492 and 495 buses now every 60 minutes instead of every 120.
- Morning 811 journeys no longer serve the 12 Quays ferry terminal, and afternoon journeys only run as far as Woodside.
Concessionary passes, including over-60s and disabled person's passes, work as normal. The £2 adult single fare cap and the £2.20 young person's day rider MyTicket are still available.
Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said: "People across Wirral will start seeing the benefits from day one – more buses, better evening and weekend services, improved connections and a brand-new fleet."
Wirral Council leader Councillor Paula Basnett said: "For many people, buses are a vital part of everyday life."
The combined authority says publicly run buses in St Helens, which switched last month, are already delivering 97% reliability.
Bus network staff are at Birkenhead bus station and the Pyramids Shopping Centre in Birkenhead from 10am to 3pm today to answer passengers' questions.
We reported earlier on the information sessions held ahead of the switch and the new Heswall and Irby link to Clatterbridge.
New timetables are on the Merseytravel website and the Merseytravel Journey Planner app. Knowsley, Liverpool and Sefton are due to follow in 2027.
