Publicly owned rail operator expanding public control in the Liverpool bus region; facing ongoing rail disruptions and a broader UK network rule change aimed at prioritising passengers over shareholders.
CrossCountry’s Birmingham power outage has crippled rail services nationwide, with near-normal operations only for Peterborough–Cambridge–Stansted. Tickets remain valid across operators, and rail replacement buses are in place as major routes face ongoing cancellations and delays.
Liverpool city region has begun bringing bus services back under public control, starting in St Helens. Fares stay capped at £2, and the network aims to increase frequency, improve evening and weekend services, and better connect hospitals and rail links.
Disruptions will now allow passengers with valid tickets to travel on other operators’ trains within two hours of cancellations, with automatic swaps on major routes as Great British Railways moves forward.