A  campaign led by Birkenhead's MP for improvements to bus services has gained its first successes for Beechwood and Noctorum residents.

A lack of transport facilities in the constituency - especially in the evening - has led to claims of a virtual "curfew" being imposed. 

Following a meeting with Arriva and Merseytravel on Thursday, Frank Field has reported back to public meetings on each estate that Arriva will accommodate residents’ needs by:

  • Seeking to extend the current 492/495 daytime service to 9.30pm at night
  • Setting up a trial of a new Sunday service operating from approximately 10am to 5pm
  • Exploring in detail the proposal for the 471, 472, 423, or 437 routes to be diverted through the two estates.                                                                                          

Mr Field said: "While there is much work still to do, the curfew is beginning to be lifted.

"I’m so pleased that Arriva has agreed to do all it can to get a pilot scheme up and running quickly – extending services through Beechwood and Noctorum to 9.30pm and having a seven-hour service on Sundays – which will mean so much to people who have no other way of getting around."

As part of his campaign, the MP is also:

  • Supporting taxi drivers’ work on a proposal which could enable residents to book shared journeys at affordable rates, and in larger vehicles, when there are no buses running
  • Asking Selwyns to gradually build up a more comprehensive service across the town, in addition to the school routes it has recently agreed to take on
  • Encouraging Merseytravel to deliver further improvements to local services