Liverpool City Region is the first area to bring its bus network into public control under this government.

It is hoped the move will bring more reliable bus services.

The government will provide £86.3 million of funding until 2029 to deliver better services for passengers, as well as a share of a new one-off £3 million pot to help mayors take control of their services.

The money will give the combined authority the power to plan bus networks to run services where they are needed most, Local leaders in Liverpool will have more say over routes, branding and fares, which could mean cheaper journeys across the city.

Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, said: "After 4 decades of deregulation, Mayor Steve Rotheram is getting back control of the Liverpool City Region’s buses, and we are backing him with the funding and powers needed to make it happen.

"This is what putting power in the hands of communities looks like and why I have established No.10 North. We are giving local leaders the levers they need to take back control of local services, shape their own future and bring back hope."

Local Transport Minister, Simon Lightwood, said: "We’re giving those who best know Liverpool’s buses even more power to deliver better, more affordable and reliable services.

"This is a huge testament to Mayor Steve Rotheram’s determination to put buses back at the heart of the community – and to our No.10 North mission to put power back where it belongs: in local hands.   From the national £2 bus fare cap to free bus travel for disabled people, we’re backing better buses and reversing decades of decline."