Liverpool City Region Bus Franchising

[moreton407]

RE: Liverpool City Region Bus Franchising
The likes of the X1 (Liverpool-Chester) and X2 (Liverpool-Preston) were limited stop services when introduced, now the X1 stops at all stops and the X2 only becomes limited stop after it leaves Merseyside. There is a need for limited stop services to places outside the Merseyside region, such as Chester, Preston, Warrington, Runcorn and towards Manchester.

I don't think that franchising will mean express services to anywhere, perhaps down the drain?