Buses Birkenhead to North Wales

[ivanhoe]

Following on from a train thread about North Wales Services, it now seems that Merseyside has lost all direct Bus Services to North Wales. I remember pre de regulation Crosville providing a number of services from Birkenhead but when First took over the Wirral Services, they were then chopped or Chester was now seen as the base to get to North Wales.

Given the historical links does anybody see the value in re-instating such services or would they be a commercial flop? Could they be extended to Liverpool?

 

[Statto]

Following on from a train thread about North Wales Services, it now seems that Merseyside has lost all direct Bus Services to North Wales. I remember pre de regulation Crosville providing a number of services from Birkenhead but when First took over the Wirral Services, they were then chopped or Chester was now seen as the base to get to North Wales.

Given the historical links does anybody see the value in re-instating such services or would they be a commercial flop? Could they be extended to Liverpool?

Unfortunately i think they'd be a flop if a service started, as theres quicker ways of getting to North Wales. There was a post, D-reg Summer only service X8 Banks-Llandudno Junction, which was a merger between the North Western X8[Banks-Chester]& the Crosville Wales, Cymru Coastliner X1, which only lasted for a couple of years.

I have an old timetable for 1974 which has the F8/F9/F10/F11 which were the Birkenhead-North Wales services.

Strangely the nearest to the Wirral-North Wales services are the Joblink routes to Broughton.

 

[burns20]

There are services 811 and 817 from Birkenhead to Queensferry which are not very publicised.

 

[Statto]

There are services 811 and 817 from Birkenhead to Queensferry which are not very publicised.

Which are mainly works services, but are publicised on the Merseytravel website.

Nowadays passengers want to go from a to b quickly, even the National Express service takes a good couple of hours just to get to Rhyl from Birkenhead[1 to 2 journeys a day]& takes longer to Bangor & Pwllheli.

 

[martinsh]

I've always thought a Fast Ferry service from Liverpool / Birkenhead to Rhyl / Llandudno might be a viable option

 

[185]

Pah. My idea of extending the West Kirby line to Anglesey was better

Looking back at the photos, the trial passenger hovercraft from Moreton, Wirral to Prestatyn in 1960s looked good, pity it didn't carry on.

One problem with Merseyside-Wales buses is the stupid DfT / EU mileage rules about tachographs. As they are costly, many operators can't afford to run longer routes than 50km/31miles.

 

[ivanhoe]

Pah. My idea of extending the West Kirby line to Anglesey was better

Looking back at the photos, the trial passenger hovercraft from Moreton, Wirral to Prestatyn in 1960s looked good, pity it didn't carry on.

One problem with Merseyside-Wales buses is the stupid DfT / EU mileage rules about tachographs. As they are costly, many operators can't afford to run longer routes than 50km/31miles.

First manage it with Lowestoft to Peterborough. Limited stop version of Liverpool to either Llandudno or Bangor anybody? Serves many different communities on route. The only competition is the car from Liverpool.