These Are NOT Franchised

Merseyside's St Helens district is much bigger than the town which gives it its name.

St Helens is shaded GREEN. The other districts are; Knowsley (blue), Sefton (orange), Wirral (pink) and Liverpool (yellow). The next area to join the F-Club is Wirral.

The trouble with boundaries is that they often do not match where  buses and trains actually go. That is dashed inconsiderate of the bus planners but maybe the best for the passengers.

So fbb is going to review all those routes that enter the District of St Helens but are NOT part of Steve Rotheram's franchise scheme.

We begin with St Helens route 20 which is now Manchester (Bee Network) 612. 

20, renumbered 612 

Route & Timetable changes

Bee Network Permit

Wigan, Newton le Willows, St Helens

Every 30 min

Saturday daytime frequency increased.

Evening & Sunday journeys introduced. 

Operated by GoAhead North West

So it is a "Manchester" service that runs into St Helens. It is operated in Merseyside on a "permit". That means that Merseyside accepts the registration with no further debate or scrutiny. Manchester "carries the can" for the whole route.

22/22A renumbered 322 

Route & Timetable span extended

Warrington's Own  Buses Franchise (Cat 2)

Warrington to Ashton 

Because this route does not make it to St Helens town centre, fbb is not showing a map. It does help reduce the onset of fbb's insanity in a complex situation.

Every hour

Evening & Sunday 22A withdrawn replaced with additional 322 journeys.

Earlestown to Wigan 22A journeys  replaced by the extended 612 service.

A Category 2 Franchise is awarded to 'smaller' (?) operators and involves less commercial risk. 

There has been a significant amount if change involving the former 22/22A and the former 20

61

No change 

Arriva (Runcorn Depot) Permit

Halton Hospital and Runcorn to Liverpool

Every hour; Unchanged

Just grazes the St Helens area, calling at Prescot and Huyton which we remember (yes we do remember) from the 10/10A/10B blog.

312

No change

Preston Bus Permit

Ormskirk - Skelmersdale - Rainford

Every hour

Unchanged

Exceptionally, fbb will include this slightly fuzzy map of the 312 from Lancashire Council. It serves to engender wide-eyed wonder as to how and why such a rambling route should have ever evolved.

It doesn't go anywhere near Preston, either! It is, however, a nicer map than that from Merseyside!

329

Unchanged

MD Bus Permit

St Helens to to Warrington

Continuation to Warrington direct

Roughly every hour?

Unchanged

The only "independent to" operator running in to St Helens. Here is the "roughly" timetable.

Lest readers should wonder at the paucity of this service, there is also:-

329

Unchanged

Arriva (Runcorn Depot) Permit

St Helens to to Warrington

Every 30 min

Unchanged

The route is the same as the MD Bus journeys.

360

Unchanged

Arriva (Runcorn Depot) Permit

Warrington to Wigan

Every hour

Unchanged

The final two barely justify inclusion, but they both do run into St Helens district. Both routes take workpeople to the vast business areas called "Omega". The area is close to Warrington.

921

No change

Howard's Permit 

Gillars Green to Omega Business Parks

5 journeys at shift times

Unchanged

922 

No change 

Warrington's Own Buses Permit

Town Centre to Omega Business Parks

5 journeys at shift times

Unchanged

Town Centre? This usually means St Helens Town Centre in the lists but the 922 does NOT serve St Helens.

You would think Steve and his chums ought to know that!

Look closely and you will see the 921 does run via St Helens ...

... there; in the little box!

One way or another, it seems that franchising will not be as clear cut as its enthusiastic proponents are wont to suggest. There will be areas of inconsistency in fares and lack of interavailability of tickets. There will be areas of confusion as passengers grasp that not all their buses are yellow!

Tomorrow we take a very quick look at St Helens franchised routes and, fbb promises, it will be simpler than the above.

And there is Wittal to join the F-club next week.

 Next St Helens blog : Fri 25 Sept