THERE will be free bus services available on Christmas Day to help people make hospital visits or spend time with their friends and family.

Buses will operate a limited service from around 12 noon until around 6pm on routes serving hospitals across Merseyside.

Free buses will operate a limited service on routes 10A, 12A, 21A, 44, 62A, 102, 201, 410, H1 and H2/3.

Hospitals served include Aintree University, Alder Hey, Arrowe Park, Broadgreen, Clatterbridge, Liverpool Women’s, Royal Liverpool, Southport, and Whiston Hospital.

No other bus services, trains or Mersey Ferries will be running on Christmas Day.

The Kingsway (Wallasey)and the Queensway (Birkenhead) Mersey Tunnels will be open throughout the holiday period. Both tunnels will be toll free from 10pm on Christmas Eve until 6am on Boxing Day (Thursday, December 26)

Details are included in Merseytravel's guide to public transport services during Christmas and New Year that is now available. The guide also includes information about Merseyrail, bus services, Mersey Ferries and Mersey Tunnels to help people travel around the region during the festive season.

Cllr Liam Robinson, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Transport Portfolio Holder, said: "We've been providing these special Christmas day bus services for more than 30 years now because without them we know it would be very difficult and potentially costly for many people to see their loved ones on Christmas Day.

"Over the years we've found that people also use the buses to visit friends and family along the routes and we would encourage as many people as possible to make use of them."

For the complete guide to public transport services go to www.merseytravel.gov.uk/travel-updates