New look city centre bus network

MERSEYTRAVEL has stepped in to recast the city centre bus network, following the deregistration of some of the city’s key services.  The move, subject to an emergency tender by the passenger transport executive, will see an improved network in some areas, with new and stronger connections to key city destinations.  It will also ensure the continuity of services in many others.  The service changes, coming in from December 27 this year, will include revisions to the S1, S2, S3, 4 and 11 bus routes.

Councillor Mark Dowd, Chair of Merseytravel, said:- “We have had to react quickly to the deregistration of the S1, 4 and 11 bus routes. Our Bus Services team have been working closely with Arriva ensure we have been able to maintain as many services as possible – and improve them where we can.  This will mean some changes for passengers, but we will be keeping a close eye on things as the network beds in.”

The S1, 4 and 11 bus routes, operated by Arriva and supported by Merseytravel, have been deregistered and Merseytravel has terminated the contracts for the Merseytravel funded S2 and S3 services, as part of the review.

In order to maintain links, the network will see 4 new services created, all operating under Merseytravel subsidised contracts:-

► C2 route:- 20min frequency Mon-Sat, Sun & Bank Hols

► C3 route:- 20min frequency Mon-Sat, 30min Sun & Bank Hols

► C4 route:- 20min frequency Mon-Sat supplemented on a Mon-Fri from Brunswick Stn to Queen Square to operate a 10min frequency between 07:02 & 08:42hrs

► 139 route:= Will operate Mon-Sat every half an hour

All of the new services will be limited to Merseytravel’s fare structure – which means the maximum fare level per journey will be £1. Merseytravel and Arriva day tickets will also be accepted. 

The new C2 service will improve connections to the city’s waterfront, including Princes Parade and Canada Boulevard and it will link into the operation times of the Mersey Ferries serving Queen Square Bus Station

The C3 will maintain many cross city connections, taking in Marybone, Queen Square Bus Station, Royal Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool John Moores University, two cathedrals and Liverpool Women’s hospital.

The C4 will link Dingle, Brunswick Station, Brunswick Industrial Park, Mariners Wharf, Kings Parade, the Albert Dock, Paradise Street Interchange, James Street to Queen Square Bus Station (picking up elements of the previous 11 route).

All of the city’s major business districts, attractions and destinations will be linked by, or coordinate with, the recast network and all of the buses will interchange at Queen Square.

Neil Scales, Chief Executive and Director General of Merseytravel, said:- “We have worked quickly to set up a network of bus routes and services that connect with all the city’s major hubs, interchanges and attractions.  We have tried to maintain as many of the links and connections as possible.  A few direct links previously available may now mean interchange as part of these changes, but other connections will be improved, so obviously we’ll have to monitor all of these very closely.”

The services, to be rebranded, will come into play from December 27 and the emergency tender will run until October 2009. After this, the whole city centre network will be retendered by Merseytravel.

For details on bus services, including the proposed changes, contact Merseytravel’s award-winning Traveline team on 0871 200 2233.  Timetables for the new routes are now available on Merseytravel’s website.

Full route details

C2:- Canada Boulevard – Princes Parade – Moorfields -Lime Street – Queen Square Bus Station (and vice versa)

C3:- Marybone (off Vauxhall Road) – Queen Square Bus Station – Lime Street – Royal Liverpool Hospital – Liverpool John Moores University – via both Cathedrals – Liverpool Women’s Hospital – Crown Street – Royal Liverpool Hospital – Lime Street – Queen Square Bus Station – Hatton Garden – Marybone (and vice versa)

C4:- Dingle – Brunswick Station – Brunswick Industrial Park – Mariners Wharf – Kings Parade – Gower Street/Albert Dock – Paradise Street Interchange – James Street – Queen Square Bus Station (and vice versa)

139:- Queen Square Bus Station – Wavertree Tech’ Park – Old Swan - Broad Green Hospital – Page Moss Lane – Huyton Bus Station –Whiston - Prescot Bus Station

John Pugh MP pledges to Make Smoking History for Southport’s children and young people

JOHN Pugh MP has added his support to the 426 people in Sefton who have pressed the Government to make smoking history for children and young people.

The Southport MP has also pledged his backing for Smokefree North West’s campaign for a tobacco free future for children and young people in his constituency and the rest of the region.

Smokefree North West has released figures highlighting the strength of public support for further measures to protect children. In the NHS Sefton area, 426 postcards were sent to the Department of Health calling for a long-term plan to protect our children and future generations from the harm smoking causes. Across the whole of the North West region, over 60,000 people responded.

Dr Janet Atherton, Director of Public Health for Sefton, said:- ‘Smoking kills 606* people in Sefton every year but the response from the public and support from John Pugh is further evidence that this is a key public concern. It is only by tackling the uptake of smoking in young people that we will break the inter-generational cycle of tobacco-related health inequalities we face in the North West today.‘

The support comes in advance of further activity by Smokefree North West to make the future smokefree for all the region’s children and young people. Andrea Crossfield, Director of Smokefree North West, added:- ‘The response from the public has been fantastic and clearly demonstrates the will within the North West to make smoking history for our children because every child and young person in the North West is entitled to a tobacco free future.’

MEP has no office in constituency but still claims £40,000 expenses

ONE of Britain’s least active MEPs has been receiving more than £40,000 a year for office expenses despite having no office in his constituency.  David Sumberg, a Conservative MEP for the North West of England, has already declared he pays £54,000 a year for secretarial support from his wife. 

Since the current European parliament was elected in 2004, Sumberg has made just 2 set-piece speeches and 12, 1-minute “explanations of votes”. He has tabled 5 questions and sits on a committee but has not written any of its reports or tabled any resolutions.

“If there was a competition for laziest MEP in Britain I don’t doubt he would make the shortlist,” said Chris Davies, a Liberal Democrat MEP who also represents the North West.

Sumberg, 67, who is standing down at elections next year, is entitled to a staff allowance, currently €203,000 (£171,000) a year, from which his wife Carolyn is paid. He is also entitled to a £40,800 general expenditure allowance for office costs and travel, and £242 a day for hotels and food on top of his £61,820 salary.  In April, he declared he paid Carolyn £54,000 a year. He said this weekend this fell to £30,000 to £39,999 from September 2008. Until last Friday, his website gave a wrong constituency office number. A woman who answered suggested calling North West Conservative Campaigns Centre, where an official said:- “We don’t see him that often.”

Sumberg said:- “The North West office acts as a forwarding address. In common with many other MEPs, I have office facilities in my house.”  Sumberg declined to say if any of the £40,800 was used for his home in Kentish Town, north London, 200 miles from the region he represents. If it was, this would break no rules. He added:- “There is no requirement for an MEP to maintain an office in the constituency.”

Parliamentary rules say the £40,800 is for use in an MEP’s home country for “office management and running costs”.

Sumberg’s decision not to maintain an office in the northwest was described as an “insult” to voters by Davies, who added:- “David Sumberg represents a region of 7m people, bigger than 10 member states of the European Union. “Most people would expect an MEP in receipt of such generous expenses would maintain an office in a region of this importance.”

Sumberg last week declined to say if he had received the full staff allowance, out of which Carolyn was paid. He said she was “a fully qualified secretary, who holds a master’s degree in applied translation studies”. On his workload, he said:- “It is not for me to comment on my effectiveness as an MEP.”

SAVING STERILE SERVICES AT THE ROYAL LIVERPOOL HOSPITAL

PLANS to outsource sterile services from Liverpool Royal Hospital and others have collapsed as the company involved “In Health” has walked away from the project.

UNISON in Liverpool have campaigned hard to stop what we believed would seriously damage the service. On the week sterilisation services in some areas have been criticised, we are delighted that services at the Royal, which fully meet national and European standards, have been spared disruption at least for now. The plan was to have all equipment and instruments for operations from the Royal and hospitals in the Wirral, Salford and Wigan & Leigh sterilised at one super centre. We believe this risked severe delays in operations, and the damage or contamination of equipment in transit. Our campaign was particularly supported by those staff who actually do the operations including consultants. We will now refocus our campaign to support our preferred option of building a fit for purpose provision at Broad Green Hospital.

Stephanie Thomas, UNISON North West Head of Health said :- “UNISON locally have worked well to save this service. Our activists have marched, leafleted and petitioned the public and produced their own leaflet, which was circulated to the local MPs and councillors, the media, hospital consultants and copies were also sent to “In Health”. We will continue to campaign for the best way or organising this vital service, including additional resources.”