A NEW bus service is to be introduced in Irby after a campaign backed by an MP.

Residents have been without a regular service when it was withdrawn last September.

They contacted Wirral West MP Margaret Greenwood, who then took the issue up with Merseytravel chairman Cllr Liam Robinson.

Following discussions Merseytravel has announced that from next Sunday, January 22, Avon Buses will be introducing a new daytime service.

“Hopefully this new service will address all the concerns of the people who contacted me and who attended the public meeting I organised at Irby Library,” said Ms Greenwood.

“There was genuine concern over the length of time it was taking to get to West Kirby or Heswall and also the distances people were then having to walk to the supermarket or doctors' surgery.

“I would like to thank all those people who contacted me regarding this.

"Public transport is really important and I am delighted that this service is being introduced."

The new 88 route will be the same as the evening service 88: West Kirby, Greasby, Mill Lane, Mill Hill Road to Irby, then Irby Road, Quarry Road East and onto Heswall.

It will operate an hourly frequency but a small number of journeys each day will operate via Thurstaston and Telegraph Road as the 82 will no longer serve that area of Thurstaston.

As a consequence of this new service operating between Greasby and Irby Mersytravel said there will no longer be a requirement for the 175 service to be extended to Greasby.

The transport organisation is negotiating with Arriva to return the 175 to its previous route and timetable.