“Communities across the Liverpool City Region rely on buses to connect them to work, education and training, family, hospitals and other public services, which is why delivering high-quality bus services are a fundamental pillar of my ambition to deliver a London-style integrated transport system. 

“We continue to progress our work to support both the post-pandemic recovery of bus services and wider bus reform, with a franchising model being identified as our leading option in February last year.  

“As well as the action I am taking locally, more national funding for local bus services is something I have been fighting for consistently since I was elected, so it’s welcome that a new National Bus Strategy has been published today by the government. 

“I will be studying the details closely to see if it matches my ambitions for the future of bus services locally and talking to ministers about securing the funding, we need to make our plans a reality.”