Night buses to steer away from trouble (From Warrington Guardian)

Night buses to steer away from trouble

SPECIAL NIGHT buses could be introduced in St Helens town-centre at weekends to ferry home revellers who spill onto the streets after boozy nights out.

The proposals are part of a plan to drastically reduce lengthy waits for taxis sometimes faced by thousands of clubbers in the early hours.

Ranks are identified by police as one of the main flashpoints for violence between 1am and 3am as booze-fuelled crowds gather. On busy nights it is thought some people have to wait for more than an hour to get a taxi home.

Buses could take passengers to places like Rainford and Prescot for a fare of about £2. To ensure safety they could by policed by wardens.

Exploratory talks have been held between St Helens Council, police, and bus operators with a view to running a night bus pilot scheme similar to those that operate out of city centres in Manchester and Liverpool. Council officers are now waiting to hear back from bus companies who reckon the venture is "commercially viable".

Ged Gibbons, manager of St Helens town-centre manager, said: "One of the effects of having such a busy town-centre by night is that we also have to get people safely home. We would be following the lead of Liverpool and Manchester where it helps safety.

"You could come to town have a great night out but then have it ruined by having to wait ages to get home.

"We need to make sure we provide facilities for St Helens in the 21st century you could go into town have a great night out and then have to wait two hours to go home, which ruins it."

New outdoor taxi ranks could also be established near some busy bars, meaning groups would no longer have to plod to the other side of town to a rank.Mr Gibbons added: "If you had been to Nexus you wouldn't walk all the way over to Hall Street (one of the busy daytime ranks) to get a taxi. The ranks need to be more strategically placed for a night time."

According to St Helens Council figures, there are 63 black cab taxis operating in St Helens and that is the maximum number allowed at the present. The numbers could increase if the government decided to deregulate taxis. There is thought to be between 370 and 400 private hire cars operating in St Helens.