Sally Shah, Assistant Director and Chief Regeneration Officer, introduced the report of the Director of Regeneration and Place which provided an update regarding the business case development which has been undertaken to date for the delivery of a mass transit system in Wirral and sought approval for Wirral Mass Transit Phase A to be included in the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Bus Service Improvement Plan submission in October 2021. The plan was to introduce a system based upon ‘Glider’ hydrogen powered buses as an interim to move away from car usage as a permanent system was developed within the Wirral Waters development and active travel opportunities were developed.

Members debated the options of vehicles, costs and established that:

·  investment in the system should improve infrastructure ready for the permanent system but also allowed flexibility

·  Having infrastructure in place within the Wirral Waters developments would maximise the investment in it and would demonstrate demand

·  Merseytravel would operate the system to link with the wider public transport network

·  A Members workshop to discuss issues in detail would be useful

·  Developments in vehicles such as fuels and reducing debris from tyres would be monitored and included if possible

Resolved - That:

(1)  the progress made in the development of the Wirral Mass Transit business case to date be noted, and a further report be brought forward to a future meeting of this committee following completion of the business case work in early 2022; and

(2)  the Director of Regeneration and Place be authorised to work with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to include Wirral Mass Transit Network Phase A in Lorca’s Bus Service Improvement Plan submission to the Department for Transport in October 2021.