An MP has launched a campaign to restore a "crucial" express bus service after hearing stories of how its left passengers "at the mercy of the market".
Launching an online petition to put the X1 Runcorn-Liverpool back on the road on Monday, Mike Amesbury MP shared the tale of businesswoman Raj Bala, who before the X1 was cancelled had a travel time of 50 minutes from Liverpool but now endures a two-hour bus ride to Shopping City where she runs Glow Brow Bar. A spokesman for Mr Amesbury's office confirmed that the scrapping of the popular X1 bus service last year had resulted in a gruelling four-hour daily round trip for the businesswoman, until a family member stepped in to offer lifts home at the end of the working day.
Labour MP for Weaver Vale Mr Amesbury has called on Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and Halton Borough Council to "look again at" reinstate the "vital service" to Liverpool. He also demanded the Government provides funding to restore the service as he pointed the finger at "Tory privatisation" for its demise.
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Mr Amesbury's spokesman said private operator MP Travel stopped its X1 Runcorn-Liverpool service last April, citing struggling passenger numbers, driver shortages and rising fuel prices.
The route was retendered, but the public subsidy needed to supplement the best operator bid was regarded as unrealistic by both Halton Council and Liverpool City Region, led by Mayor Rotheram.
MP Travel had taken over the running of the service after it was dropped by Arriva.
Among those signing the petition was Cllr Norman Plumpton-Walsh, who said: "The X1 is crucial for quick links to/from work etc for Runcorn."
Another signatory said the loss of the service was causing "real hardship", writing: "I'm signing because the lack of this service is causing real hardship to people and in effect, cuts lots of people from the city of Liverpool, a city with which many residents feel very close ties."
A commuter who works in Liverpool said: "I work in Liverpool and the trains aren’t reliable or very frequent any more and the cost of them has gone up again and if I drive into Liverpool the parking costs a fortune."
Mr Amesbury said: “Let’s be clear, this situation is the result of the Tories privatising bus services, leaving passengers needing to get to work, college and the shops at the mercy of the market.
“Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram is a colleague who has fabulous plans to reregulate the buses and create an integrated public transport system across Liverpool City Region.
"But people who relied on the X1 need a solution now.
“That’s why I’ve started this petition on behalf of the community, asking Steve, in partnership with Halton Council, to look again at finding a way of reinstating this crucial service in some form, as a matter of urgency.
“But I’m also calling on the Secretary of State for Transport to provide the necessary funding to bring back the X1.”
Mr Amesbury has launched the petition as he believes the route – the only express bus to Liverpool ¬– is socially and economically vital.
He added: “Since the X1 ended, people have continued to contact me out of desperation because their journey times have more than doubled.”
The spokesman noted that Mr Amesbury's previous X1 campaigns attracted "considerable support" and prolonged the express bus service.
Sign the "Bring back X1 Runcorn to Liverpool express bus" petition at change.org
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