Liverpool City Region Bus Franchising

[Valandil]

RE: Liverpool City Region Bus Franchising

(24/07/2023 18:15)North West Bus Spotter Wrote:  While you do have a valid point, rush hour had a big impact as passengers wanted to get into Liverpool AND get back to Runcorn meaning the most revenue was made during rush hour but another thing is that I think Arriva passing the route to MP Travel was a bad idea, Arriva seemed fine running it especially with the fact people would want to get Arriva Buses because of their cheap fares at the time, I think an Adult Day Saver was £4.20 at the time while MP Travel's Day Saver would set you back £5.50 and you could only use it on that route because it was the only one they had at the time.

While we're on the subject, X1 is to my mind exactly the kind of route where just a little funding can improve the lives of so many people.
Has anyone seen how long it takes to get from places in Runcorn like Murdishaw into Liverpool now by bus, especially compared with by car? It's obscene.

Having a depot for the X1 at the Runcorn end of the route minimises dead mileage and/or carrying fresh air - vehicles depart Runcorn in the morning peak towards Liverpool and return from Liverpool to Runcorn in the afternoon peak.
Even if you have just 2 vehicles with arrivals into Liverpool at say 07:40 and 08:40 for workers (coordinate with the most common local shift patterns), then those vehicles run back to Runcorn, dead if necessary, and provide fast runs to Liverpool One for shoppers, departing around 08:40 and 09:40 (that one especially for pass holders). Add a 10:40 departure using the first vehicle if deemed viable.
It can drop by the Liverpool airport stop on the way, and even brand it as a fast way to the airport, fast way to employment opportunities, fast way to shop at Liverpool One, etc. Journey times massively shorter than the 79C and 82A which go all through Widnes etc.
Split the shift and give the driver time off in Liverpool or even work other routes with a gap for lunch break, according to what is most viable, then repeat the same in the opposite direction in the afternoon, e.g. departures from Liverpool at around 14:20, 15:20, 16:20, 17:20 (and 18:20 if viable).