Liverpool City Region Glider

[Steddenm]

According to the Liverpool Echo the Liverpool City Region is to get Glider bus services akin to Belfast's.

In their article it even shows a Translink Glider with Metro branding (still with the Translink logo though) and no change inside:





The services are planned to run on the Liverpool Airport to City route. Major infrastructure would be needed I think though as the Glider services use a "platform" as they are more akin to a tram.

Their article says:

The government has today announced it will invest £100m in three new bus rapid transport routes in Liverpool. A major pledge in Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram's successful election manifesto last May, the rapid transit system - similar to the Glider system in Belfast, was mentioned by Chancellor Rachel Reeves as she delivered a speech on transport funding this morning.

The Chancellor said the Labour government will invest £15.6bn in public transport projects, largely across the Midlands and North of England. Within this, the Liverpool City Region's five-year-settlement allocation, from 2027/28 to 2031/32, will represent a total of £1.6bn.

Full article available here

 

[Bletchleyite]

Really, really not sold on that idea. A polished turd is still a turd.

They should really be trying to get rail to the Airport, improving City Line services and perhaps even considering a new station for the Everton stadium and Eldonian estate.

 

[Citistar]

The "Gliders" are a VanHool product, aren't they? That might prove something of an issue...

 

[Steddenm]

The "Gliders" are a VanHool product, aren't they? That might prove something of an issue.

Van Hool is now owned by VDL

 

[Bletchleyite]

Van Hool is now owned by VDL

Even if it wasn't I'm sure any manufacturer would be able to bodykit a bendybus for you. They might even actually come from China, Chinese EV buses are increasingly popular here.

 

[BradK2017]

Van Hool is now owned by VDL

Isn't that just the coaches?

The Swiss company Hess are completing the Paris order of ExquiCity vehicles (the actual name for the Glider vehicles) but have not confirmed if it's permanently part of their range.

 

[Energy]

BRT is a good idea for Liverpool, the streets here are wide and reasonably straight. The former being partly thanks to the old tram network.

While trams are better, BRT only requires new stops, road painting and some changes to signals to give bus priority. As such it is great for a tram-lite system.

However, I don’t see why the ExquiCity vehicles would be any better than a bendy bus. I guess they are less exciting if you like appearing in press releases.

Alternatively, if they are no more expensive than a bendy bus, and ensure that there are more dedicated lanes then I guess I like them?

I’m not Steve Rotherham’s biggest fan, but he makes a good point when talking to BBC Merseyside that this can be implemented quickly. A lot of the Liverpool tram discussion seems to be based on “Manchester has them so why don’t we”.

 

[Steddenm]

Rumour at the Milewater Service Centre in Belfast is that Translink aren't too happy eith Mr Rotherham. Apparently they had the vehicle as a demonstrater to test in Liverpool, and not to plonk their own vinyls on the vehicle according to one of the Glider ticket inspectors today.

 

[Leedsbusman]

Rumour at the Milewater Service Centre in Belfast is that Translink aren't too happy eith Mr Rotherham. Apparently they had the vehicle as a demonstrater to test in Liverpool, and not to plonk their own vinyls on the vehicle according to one of the Glider ticket inspectors today.

Must be true then!

 

[J-2739]

I’m not Steve Rotherham’s biggest fan, but he makes a good point when talking to BBC Merseyside that this can be implemented quickly. A lot of the Liverpool tram discussion seems to be based on “Manchester has them so why don’t we”.

They can also be taken away quickly...

 

[overthewater]

No one going to mention Firstgroup Purple thing from 19 years ago? AKA FTR. That what it looks like.

 

[Fokx]

It’s a really poor use of funding, more of a marketing gimmick than an actual useful service provision.

There’s very little wrong with the current 500 (Airport Express) and the various 9** services (Football extras) and Soccerbus.

Meanwhile you can’t buy Saveaways on your phone or metrocard, Halton remains outside the ticketing area except for MyTickets, service frequencies and provision have been decimated through lack of funding and operators collapsing over the last ten years, there’s only 1 night bus route, and most merseytravel contract services to more rural areas run at 2 hourly frequencies

 

[47550]

It’s a really poor use of funding, more of a marketing gimmick than an actual useful service provision.

There’s very little wrong with the current 500 (Airport Express) and the various 9** services (Football extras) and Soccerbus.

Meanwhile you can’t buy Saveaways on your phone or metrocard, Halton remains outside the ticketing area except for MyTickets, service frequencies and provision have been decimated through lack of funding and operators collapsing over the last ten years, there’s only 1 night bus route, and most merseytravel contract services to more rural areas run at 2 hourly frequencies

Hear hear. The last fanfare was for the 20 hydrogen buses they bought for £12 million or so but have barely turned a wheel in service.

 

[ian1944]

No one going to mention Firstgroup Purple thing from 19 years ago? AKA FTR. That what it looks like.

There was a lot of debate about the t and r stood for (I think it was in lower case).

 

[mattb7tl]

I’ll always support experimentation even when it turns out to be a swing and a miss. Hydrogen buses were a reasonable avenue to explore at one point, with their fast refuelling and zero tailpipe emissions. But the industry has since learned, quite definitively, that hydrogen just sucks.
It’s vastly inefficient. Producing, compressing, transporting, and converting hydrogen back into electricity uses at least three times more energy than simply charging an electric bus, and in some cases, reports show it can be up to five times more. The energy losses at every stage are enormous and as we have seen an operational nightmare up and down the country. Electrics have won pure and simple and any company which explores hydrogen at this point is just a bit financially illiterate (sorry Metrobus).
I cannot however see how this glider experiment would work because of how normal bus manufacturers will literally now add anything and everything you want to a bus so you cannot even argue an improvement in vehicle quality with these buses (I refuse to call them trams)

 

[Busoccultation]

Even if it wasn't I'm sure any manufacturer would be able to bodykit a bendybus for you. They might even actually come from China, Chinese EV buses are increasingly popular here.

Irizar ie tram 18 is an option if they want bendy buses that appear like a tram and are available in right hand drive.

 

[Northerngirl]

They had a few press events last year about it, from what I remember, it's basically a pathfinder to decide where the tram is going to run, obviously at far lower cost. they know the glider cant be made anymore but it was a good photo opp, As all the docks are being redeveloped, I would have thought runing the old overhead railway route would be smart, it's ridiculous how far away from transit the waterfront is

 

[GusB]

There was a lot of debate about the t and r stood for (I think it was in lower case).

Was there a lot of debate? I thought that "ftr" was simply "future" with the vowels removed. For a time it was quite fashionable for businesses to do so - do a search for "abdrn" (completely unrelated to the bus industry and off-topic) to see why this wasn't always popular!

Getting back on topic, I'm not sure that these tram-like vehicles really offer more than a standard off-the-shelf articulated bus. They might look "cool" and I can understand why a transport operator might want to differentiate its offering from a regular bus service, but ultimately it's just a bus tarted up to look like it isn't. If there's no significant increase in cost over and above a "normal" articulated bus that's fair enough. However, if it's going to cost more to make your bus look like a tram I'd suggest that it's probably money wasted; spend the extra cash on improvements to bus priority measures, bus stop information and maybe a few extra cleaners to ensure that your product is presentable.

 

[Statto]

The 500 currently uses deckers, & they're needed as that route can be standing room only, the current allocation is 3, 61 plate Gemini's, ikn dedicated branding, but they're on borrowed time as Merseyside has a 15 year age limit agreement with operators.

For me the Glider is another vanity project, that only gives the Mayor a photo opportunity.

 

[Fokx]

They had a few press events last year about it, from what I remember, it's basically a pathfinder to decide where the tram is going to run, obviously at far lower cost. they know the glider cant be made anymore but it was a good photo opp, As all the docks are being redeveloped, I would have thought runing the old overhead railway route would be smart, it's ridiculous how far away from transit the waterfront is

There used to be a number of public bus services that passed the Bramley Moore Dock stadium (home to Everton) on non-match days but they were sadly cut several years back (101, 130, 136, 48/48A)

Now there is one bus that runs twice in the morning and twice in the evening on weekdays only (136).

Sadly despite there being a number of employment areas around the dock, Bootle, Seaforth and Sandhills, when you decimate a service so much potential passengers seek alternative transport options and it’s near impossible to attract them back again.

 

[markymark2000]

The 500 currently uses deckers, & they're needed as that route can be standing room only, the current allocation is 3, 61 plate Gemini's, ikn dedicated branding, but they're on borrowed time as Merseyside has a 15 year age limit agreement with operators.

That is only for tenders, and even then there seems to be an agreement with Stagecoach that the same tender rules do not have to apply to them (see the large number of 09/59 plate vehicles, 08 Enviro 400s, and the 2x06 plate Solos).

 

[WibbleWobble]

Irizar ie tram 18 is an option if they want bendy buses that appear like a tram and are available in right hand drive.

As long as the suspension isn't as rock hard as existing ones on the Continent - having sampled them, they are not the most comfortable things to travel on!

 

[alex397]

Surely they should just look for an articulated bus that is the best on price. Are these ‘trams’ around the same price, or a lot more expensive?

To me, using buses and making them look like trams, just gives the impression a city couldn’t afford to put in a proper tram network. I often see this sort of comment under Facebook posts showing the clearly-not-a-tram buses.

 

[MattRat]

Irizar ie tram 18 is an option if they want bendy buses that appear like a tram and are available in right hand drive.

Next-generation electric ‘glider’ begins real-world trials in Liverpool City Region

<p>A second rapid transit vehicle will begin road testing this month, as part of Mayor Steve Rotheram’s pledge to introduce new rapid transit links across the city region</p>

www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk

Looks like they are looking into that

 

[eldomtom2]

Steve Rotherham is apparently trying to claim that these don't count as buses:

Liverpool's new public transport 'not a bus', mayor says

The new rapid transit system is unveiled as debate rages about what it should be described as.

www.bbc.co.uk

Trials have started on Liverpool's roads to see how the new "rapid transit vehicles" will handle things like roundabouts when they start carrying passengers in 2028.

Critics have described the 59ft (18m) vehicles as "bendy buses" and have said they do not compare with Manchester's Metrolink tram network.

But metro mayor Steve Rotheram insisted the vehicle on show this week was a "trackless tram", adding: "If you take the tyres off and put it on rails, it's a tram."

Rotheram added: "It doesn't feel like a bus inside because a bus doesn't have the headroom.

"It's a very different type of vehicle – it's got three sets of doors, so people can get on and off quickly and its 30% bigger than a double decker bus."

[...]

Rotheram added: "People haven't seen what this is, and they've heard this thing that it's just a bendy bus.

"Well go and ask the manufacturers who manufacture buses whether this a bendy bus, they'll tell you this is completely different.

"Basically, if you take the tyres off and put it on rails, it's a tram."

He added: "I'm not bothered if people call it a bendy bus, they can call it what they want.

"What I want people to do is experience it and then they can make their mind up."

 

[Omnidekkalover]

My gadgetbahn alarm bells are going off at this

 

[Bletchleyite]

My gadgetbahn alarm bells are going off at this

The "ie tram" is just a bus. Not even a particularly good bus.

Off bus ticketing, multi door, tap on tap off and well designed bus lanes with overtakes should be in place on ALL bus routes without exception and are, in most civilised countries, a standard feature.

 

[Energy]

The "ie tram" is just a bus. Not even a particularly good bus.

Off bus ticketing, multi door, tap on tap off and well designed bus lanes with overtakes should be in place on ALL bus routes without exception and are, in most civilised countries, a standard feature.

Bristol’s metro bus comes to mind.

A concern with off bus ticketing is tap-and-go significantly decreases the usage. It only really makes sense for cash users, who are in small number.

 

[MCR247]

Bristol’s metro bus comes to mind.

A concern with off bus ticketing is tap-and-go significantly decreases the usage. It only really makes sense for cash users, who are in small number.

I’d argue that can actually be more of a positive really. Without tap and go, each stop has to have its own ticket machine (maybe one each way even) to ensure everyone has an opportunity to get a ticket. If a machine is broken (or they both are) then is it free travel from that stop until fixed? With tap and go you eliminate people using machines for singles etc so reduce queues and therefore the number of machines at busy stops and not every stop needs to have multiple ticket machines

 

[padbus]

I had the chance to sample the Belfast Glider BRT last month. This uses extensive bus lanes and full off-bus ticketing to speed up the journey. The BRT stops all have ticket machines and, of course, various passes are available for frequent users. As the drivers are not involved in fare collection, it makes sense to have distinctive vehicles to differentiate them from normal buses. I travelled from Belfast City centre to Stormont and back on a Tuesday afternoon so cannot really comment how the bus lanes work in heavy traffic. The Van Hool Exqui.City buses are much the same to ride on as any other bendybuses apart from the drivers being separated from the passengers. I did get my ticket checked by a pair of inspectors on one of my journeys. Whilst the Van Hools are certainly distinctive, I cannot warm to their styling. I prefer the "Mettis Style" version that Van Hool built for the French city of Metz which are more like the Irizar ieTram. However, there will obviously be no Van Hools built for Liverpool.

It seems to me that for BRT to work, you have to have the full package: extensive busways and bus lanes, traffic light priority, full off-bus ticketing and distinctive vehicles. The Irizar ieTrams would seem to fit the bill for Liverpool so far as vehicles are concerned and the articulated version somehow looks better that the rigid ones. It is to be hoped that Liverpool gets the infrastructure to match.

Coincidently, the August 2025 issues of "Buses" magazine has an article on the BRT system in Amiens, France, which uses articulated Irizar ieTrams. The article includes a picture of one running with any wheels spats which dramatically improves its appearance. Buses have wheels, get over it.

Finally, and a little bit off-topic, my attention was taken by an on-line news headline reading "Major UK airport scraps buses from car parks with £14m futuristic alternative". Further investigation showed that Gatwick Airport is replacing its car park buses with (drumroll) electric bendybuses! Yes £14,000,000 is getting the airport 14 Irizar ieTrams. https://www.mirror.co.uk/travel/new...ral&utm_campaign=embedded_search_item_desktop

Millions of passengers will soon be whizzed over from long-stay car parks to their terminal in a sleek new Major UK airport scraps buses from car parks with £14m futuristic alternative
fleet of futuristic vehicles following a £14 million sustainability investment.

One of the busiest UK airports is ditching gas-guzzling buses as part of a huge £14 million investment. Last year, London Gatwick Airport - which is owned and managed by VINCI Airports and Global Infrastructure Partners - handled a whopping 43.2 million passengers. Many of these travellers will have used the hub's Park & Ride, which allows customers to park their vehicle at a designated car park outside of the airport and then take a shuttle bus to the terminal. It's often much cheaper to use this option than using the roll-up parking, which can total up to a whopping £75 per day.
But passengers using Park & Ride will soon be whizzed over to the airport in a futuristic tram powered solely by electricity. Gatwick has confirmed it has signed a contract with Irizar e-mobility to bring 14 new electric tram-style buses - all of which are 18 metres long - to transfer passengers from the long-stay car parks to the terminals. The move is expected to save 17.7 tCO2e in carbon emissions per year, and is part of the airport's sustainability efforts to decarbonise the aviation industry.

The Irizar ie trams, which are known for their futuristic and minimalistic design, will all be equipped with luggage racks inside for 'greater comfort and functionality'. The vehicles use the latest generation Irizar batteries and are charged using an ultra-fast pantograph system, which can do a full charge in less than six minutes. "In addition, with the goal of improving safety, the new buses will be equipped with digital vision cameras, which significantly improves the front, side and rear visibility," Irizar said in a statement. "In this way, Irizar e-mobility is expanding their electromobility solutions in the United Kingdom, where more than 50 Irizar electric buses are already operating in several cities. "The Mirror was told the electric buses won't be deployed until around Christmas time this year. Steve Kelso, Head of Engineering at London Gatwick added: "We're excited to have 14 new electric tram busses coming to London Gatwick. We are playing our part to decarbonise the aviation sector and as we grow, we must do it sustainably.

"The electric buses are part of our transition to a fully electric vehicle fleet and just one example of our Decade of Change sustainability strategy in action."

Last week (July 9), Gatwick celebrated another landmark after its first-ever electric flight landed at the hub, as part of the VINCI Airports Network Elektro Tour. The 50-flight leg tour, an early-stage proof of concept, coincides with the delivery of 47 new electric vehicles at London Gatwick, including airside operations and engineering cars. This is part of the airport's mission to upgrade its 300-strong vehicle fleet to fully electric by 2023 to support its broader £250m decarbonisation programme to achieve net zero for its own emissions in the next five years. Mark Johnston, chief operating officer at London Gatwick said: "We're pleased to welcome the VINCI Airport's Elektro Tour team to the airport, this might just be the smallest aircraft to ever land at London Gatwick! "We're proud to be playing our part in supporting wider efforts to decarbonise the aviation sector. Our vision is to be the airport for everyone, whatever your journey, and as we grow, we must do it sustainably. Our transition to an electric vehicle fleet is just one example of our Decade of Change sustainability strategy in action."