00:00Buses in St Helens are now under public control. The city region is moving to public control of
00:06its bus network, with government funding of £86.3 million until 2029. The funding is intended to
00:14support services, better connections and make fares affordable. Franchised services have started
00:20in St Helens before expanding to Wirral later this year and the rest of the region in 2027.
00:26Local leaders will control routes, branding and fares. Mayor Steve Rotherham says deregulation
00:33has failed communities, while ministers say the changes will give local leaders more power.
00:39Around 93 million bus journeys were made in the region last year.
