Heswall Bus Station 1986-2026: The deregulated years.

 

The former Crosville depot, now a Aldi store. 

Nowhere exemplifies the trials, tribulations, entrepreneurship and shear recklessness of the bus deregulation years than Heswall Bus Station. From October 2026, Heswall and the rest of Wirral will become one of two areas on Merseyside returning to franchised services: operated by Go Ahead and under the control of the metro mayor. 

First, a bit of history. Mr. Pye, who had been in the motor omnibus and motor coach business since 1919, had a fleet of about 20 vehicles and ran routes between Heswall and Birkenhead. In January 1924 Crosville purchased the business of Johnny Pye. With the business and buses, there was a plot of land in Heswall that also transferred to Crosville.  Very shortly after purchase, a new depot and a Bus Station were built on this land in Telegraph Road and a variety of vehicles arrived including Crosville’s first Bristol vehicle, a 1919 Bristol 4-ton chassis with Ch28 bodywork. The allocation in 1947 was 27, in 1956 it was 32, in 1959 - 33, in 1965 - 33 and in 1970 - 26.   

The depot closed on 4th September 1988 and buses transferred to Rock Ferry and West Kirby.  The Heswall depot premises were demolished and are now the site of a public house called the 'Johnny Pye'. The Bus Station also closed in 1988 but was eventually re-developed on the same site. Today, between the bus station and pub is a road called Pye Road. The modern ‘band stand’ bus station has three loading bays and additional space for two buses to layover.

In March 1988 ATL (Western) purchased Crosville England upon privatisation of NBC and a year later sold it on to the Drawlane Group. Subsequent depot sales and various brand name changes saw PMT, First Bus and Stagecoach take ownership of various parts of the former Crosville empire on Wirral.

Throughout the privatised years, Heswall has seen a mix of tendered (Merseytravel) and commercial bus services. The big groups also took the opportunity to battle each other and occasionally attempt to remove the smaller independents. Arriva became the dominant operator for some considerable while occasionally losing tendered routes to the likes of Avon Bus who would become the largest independent operator on Wirral. Arriva in turn would clash with First Bus on the core routes into Liverpool before First sold its Wirral operations to Stagecoach. A sensible solution was eventually negotiated by Merseytravel with one of its first quality contracts whereby the operators shared the two Liverpool routes with equal number of buses and shared revenue. Stagecoach also turned its attention to route 22 (West Kirby-Chester), a tendered service with additional financial support from Cheshire County Council, that had alternated over the years between Arriva and Avon Bus. Stagecoach registered some commercial workings but soon realised the errors of their ways and retreated.   

Route mileage from the bus station has reduced in the past forty years with many residential areas now devoid of buses, many frequencies greatly reduced and other routes convoluted in an attempt to service hospitals and shopping centres. More recently the situation has stabilised, and routes and schedules have seen little change whilst the number of operators has also settled down. Stagecoach/Arriva share the core 471/472 Liverpool route, Happy Al’s have the 22 and most of the local school routes, whilst A2B from nearby Prenton have been a constant on the smaller local routes. 

From October 2026 the franchise for all bus services on Wirral has been awarded to Go Ahead and school services awarded to St Helens based Huyton Travel part of Tower Transit. The future for smaller operators is uncertain and it is likely that Heswall will once again become a one operator bus station.         

Crosville fleet name with PMT colours on route 23 to Meols.

Merseybus XEM 905W, Leyland Atlantean/Alexander H43/32F on the 172 to Woodside. 

Avon Buses, Prenton, AE08 DKU. Alexander Dennis Dart SLF/MCV B40F on the 22 to Caldy Crossroads, (note the Jonny Pie pub in the background). 

First Bus A144 SMA. Leyland Olympian/ECW H45/32F on the 72 to New Ferry.

Eazibus MX09 AOC. Optare Solo M880SL B28F, on the local 73 service.

Arriva MX13 ADV, Volvo B5LH with Wright H43/23F body with Cross River livery, for the 472 to Liverpool.

E567 MAC, Talbot B20F. Ex Barrow on the 135 to Eastham Ferry.

Al's HA21 ALS. Alexander Dennis E20D MMC B41F on the 22 to West Kirby.

Bus and Coach World

Unexpected electric.

 Warrington BV24 LUJ, Volvo BZL with MCV body departing from Warrington bus station.

The uncertainty began the moment I stepped outside the front door. The first service of the day was the 22 between West Kirby (Wirral) and Chester operated by Al’s: they lost the Happy a few years ago. The problem with this service is that early running is the norm rather than the exception and is linked to how long and how frequent the drivers like for a cigarette break. Unfortunately, speed and driving style also leave a lot to be desired. Previous experience had shown that the three-minute connection with the Traws Cymru service at Chester bus station was possible. But, the best laid plans……….

Today the bus came along on time (Optare Metrocity V1010MC B36F, ex New Adventure Travel), the journey was sedate and by the time we arrived in Chester, with a full load of passengers, we were seven minutes late. As the bus pulled into the bus station, the driver of the service into Wales gave our driver a cheery wave, and that was the connection gone. However, I had a plan B, by the time I strolled around the bus station concourse, waiting on the same stand as the bus I had just missed, was an Arriva X30 heading for Warrington and the opportunity to look at the new Volvo BZL/MCV electrics. The bus was standard Arriva DAF/Wright for the 1hr 22mins journey to Warrington via Frodsham and Runcorn. Saturday running times leave plenty of slack and there was time to admire Frodsham farmers market before circumnavigating the Runcorn Busway, a road system that always confuses me. We travelled at a leisurely pace, arriving a few minutes early into the modern Warrington bus station, with its adjoining large indoor shopping centre. At first glance, things did not look hopeful, only one electric bus and that was parked up, out of service. But first-things-first, lunch and loo.

What a difference a day makes: sorry wrong song. Thirty-minutes later and there was a sea of yellow in the bus station, with the electrics coming and going on several routes. Time for a ride, as befits the developing theme of the day, whatever comes in next will be the bus to board. As luck would have it, it turned out to be a 32 to Widnes Market, a convenient location for an onward service to Liverpool. The Volvo BZL did not disappoint, with a pleasant interior, well-spaced seats and clear audio-visual presentation and no intrusive rattles. The driver, whilst professional, was very keen to take advantage of the rapid, smooth acceleration, and on corners, there was a sensation that the bus was compensating for all the weight in the roof by somehow forcing itself into an upright stance. Not an unpleasant sensation, just unusual. The 32 proved an interesting route with plenty of variation over its short distance. Passing through traditional housing alongside the Old Liverpool Road, before a short sprint on a dual-carriageway and a one-way circuit of Penketh village which the audio-visual informed us was a hail and ride area. The final section was a tour of two large housing estates before entering Widnes via the old high street and finally the new edge of town shopping centre. Objective achieved and we arrived at Widnes. As per the theme of the day, whatever Liverpool bound service comes along first, I will jump on.

It turns out to be an 82A, operated by Arriva. Taking 1hr 18min, the route heads out of Widnes through two housing estates before hitting open countryside, passing through the villages of Halebank and Hale. Just a few yards after leaving the conservation village of Hale is the perimeter fence of Liverpool John Lennon Airport and it was a strange sight to be confronted by an Airbus A320 taxing to the end of the runway, ready for take-off. Before reaching the airport proper, there was the delight of Speke, a large housing estate that you would not want to linger in. The bus entered the airport via a back gate, requiring permission from security to pass through two barriers, with warning signs on the roadside telling drivers of financial penalties if they stop on the road. Plenty of time to spare at the airport bus station with the driver inviting any passengers who fancied a smoke to join him on the concourse. The final stretch of the bus journey started with a drive through the rundown area of Garston before turning onto the A561 for a long start/stop drag towards the city centre and into Liverpool One Bus Station.

After all that sitting down, a chance to stretch the legs, with an enjoyable walk along the waterfront before heading across the city centre to Sir Thomas Street and the final bus of the day. It was a case of boarding either the 471 or 472 whichever came along first. However the primary objective was to achieve a front seat on the top deck, this being the first double-decker of the day and enjoy the ride through the Mersey Tunnel. On weekdays this is not a problem because the services start at Cook Street, a quieter stop at the top of town, but at weekends the services turns short and boarding becomes a scramble. As luck would have it a 471 is the first bus to come along and one hour later it delivered me to the same stop I departed from eight hours earlier.

Phew, must be wine time.

BV24 LRJ parked in the bus station.

Bus and Coach World