Free city centre buses

[IMarkeh]

Chester has the 'Shopper Hopper' which is free.
Wakefield, Dewsbury and Huddersfield have free town buses.
Obviously you have mentioned Manchester but also Bolton has the 'Metroshuttle'

Apparently there is a free bus in Wolverhampton on market days
https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/parking-and-roads/free-city-centre-bus

Due to city centre road closures from January 2020 Liverpool will get one:
https://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/travel-updates/Pages/city-centre-bus.aspx

This is infact them wanting to use the existing 10A (St Helens to Liverpool) and somehow they will make it free through the city centre. That is the plan anyway.

[Ian Hardy]

Chester has the 'Shopper Hopper' which is free.
Wakefield, Dewsbury and Huddersfield have free town buses.
Obviously you have mentioned Manchester but also Bolton has the 'Metroshuttle'

Apparently there is a free bus in Wolverhampton on market days
https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/parking-and-roads/free-city-centre-bus
This is infact them wanting to use the existing 10A (St Helens to Liverpool) and somehow they will make it free through the city centre. That is the plan anyway.

Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Bolton are not cities which is why I did not list them in my earlier post as the subject of this thread is "Free city centre buses".

[Crosville]

Wakefield has one:
https://www.wymetro.com/buses/free-town-and-city-buses/wakefield-freecitybus/

Leeds did have one until March 2011
Sheffield had one in 2008 but it got withdrawn soon afterwards.

Due to city centre road closures from January 2020 Liverpool will get one:
https://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/travel-updates/Pages/city-centre-bus.aspx

For some people:-
Any TfL route operated with Bendybuses or Borismasters :)

Liverpool one won't be free though, as that is an existing route[10A] & there's been a lot of anger over the plans to cut rest of the routes in Liverpool city centre to just Queen Square & Liverpool One.

[JoNi]

Liverpool one won't be free though, as that is an existing route[10A] & there's been a lot of anger over the plans to cut rest of the routes in Liverpool city centre to just Queen Square & Liverpool One.

Liverpool buses continue like those in many cities to suffer at the hands of so called public realm "improvements"!

[Ian Hardy]

Liverpool one won't be free though, as that is an existing route[10A] & there's been a lot of anger over the plans to cut rest of the routes in Liverpool city centre to just Queen Square & Liverpool One.

This is what the Merseytravel website states:
While the city centre is compact and walkable, for those who need it, a free, cross-city bus service will run every six minutes between Queen Square and Liverpool ONE bus stations, with stops at key locations. ​

[Crosville]

This is what the Merseytravel website states:
While the city centre is compact and walkable, for those who need it, a free, cross-city bus service will run every six minutes between Queen Square and Liverpool ONE bus stations, with stops at key locations. ​

Hmmm  i didn't see the free bit, but i do love the utopia from Merseytravel of a cross-city bus service every 6 minutes, the service in question is 10A Liverpool One-St Helens, a service i use quite regularly, & often see buses on the 10A in 2s, 3s & occasionally 4s, as there's a few bottlenecks on this route

[Bus Man K2]

I personally dont think there needs to be a Birmingham City Centre circular bus service. As there are adequate 'commercial' services that already serve all three rail station in this City.

[richardjones210368]

I personally dont think there needs to be a Birmingham City Centre circular bus service. As there are adequate 'commercial' services that already serve all three rail station in this City.

It's been tried to a death I am old enough to remember a 2p Dodge Minibus coming thru the pedestrian areas in WMPTE days I am not Metro fan or user but it's the current Centerbus isnt I have argued at WMCA all operators bus tickets should be valid on the metro in an inner zone from Snow Hill to 5 Ways but who listens to my rants?

[Bus Man K2]

It's been tried to a death I am old enough to remember a 2p Dodge Minibus coming thru the pedestrian areas in WMPTE days I am not Metro fan or user but it's the current Centerbus isnt I have argued at WMCA all operators bus tickets should be valid on the metro in an inner zone from Snow Hill to 5 Ways but who listens to my rants?

The point I'm making is that there are sufficient commercial services that do waht the old CC bus does and in some respect the metro has replaced the Snow Hill-New Street section of the route. Also though there are the following services that link all three stations together.

10H
16
23/24
82/87

The following link two stations together.

X20/X21/X22
61/63
45/47

[richardjones210368]

The point I'm making is that there are sufficient commercial services that do waht the old CC bus does and in some respect the metro has replaced the Snow Hill-New Street section of the route. Also though there are the following services that link all three stations together.

10H
16
23/24
82/87

The following link two stations together.

X20/X21/X22
61/63
45/47

Yes I see your point mate  but as we both know TfWM & The Mayor will always put the emphasis on the Metro in the City Centre for a Centrebus and wouldn't have to reimburse the bus operators.

[ellspurs]

There's more of a call for a free bus service in Birmingham City Centre now than there has been before. The Markets have effectively been cut off from the rest of the City Centre by the Bull Ring, and trade has been suffering there. A bus going from the Markets to Colmore Row/Priory Queensway/Moor Street Queensway would allow more people travelling from the North/East of the city to get down there. Will the Metro get extended down there? If it was, would there still be a Markets there for them to serve given the time it takes for infrastructure to be built?

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/bull-ring-market-traders-facing-17651871

(Yes I know it is Birmingham Mail but the underlying message still applies)

[Tony]

There's more of a call for a free bus service in Birmingham City Centre now than there has been before. The Markets have effectively been cut off from the rest of the City Centre by the Bull Ring, and trade has been suffering there. A bus going from the Markets to Colmore Row/Priory Queensway/Moor Street Queensway would allow more people travelling from the North/East of the city to get down there. Will the Metro get extended down there? If it was, would there still be a Markets there for them to serve given the time it takes for infrastructure to be built?

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/bull-ring-market-traders-facing-17651871

(Yes I know it is Birmingham Mail but the underlying message still applies)

You mean like the 16!

[ellspurs]

You mean like the 16!

I apologise, I didn't know that.

Is it advertised as a cross-city bus?

[Pat]

I apologise, I didn't know that.

Is it advertised as a cross-city bus?

No

[Lukeee]

Having driven the 16 you do pick up a lot of passengers on market days that use it to connect from the markets to priory Queensway for other services