Arriva North West and Merseytravel are updating the times and routes for the 58 and 63 bus services in Kirkby, Merseyside, effective from 1 February 2026. These changes are intended to make journeys more reliable and reduce instances of buses arriving together during busy periods.
The 58 bus connects Netherton to Liverpool city centre, while the 63 service runs as a circular route through areas including Bootle, Fazakerley and Netherton. Arriva North West says it has used real‑time GPS/tracking data (from the 2025 ‘Metro Express’ pilot) to adjust schedule slack time — especially at peak periods — so drivers can better keep to published times.
These updates form part of the Liverpool City Region’s wider network review and bus reform work as services move to franchised (publicly controlled) operation in staged tranches over the coming years. The timetable changes also aim to reduce ‘bus bunching’ and improve evening reliability on the Kirkby‑Netherton corridor.
Local residents are being encouraged to check the new times for their morning journeys to avoid missing connections at busy interchanges such as Magdalene Square in Netherton. Local campaigners, including Kirkby residents’ transport groups, have welcomed moves intended to tackle long‑standing cancellations on the circular 63 route.
The revisions also take account of changed travel patterns since the opening of Headbolt Lane station, with more people using short bus trips to reach rail services. Passengers can find updated timetables and service alerts on the official Merseytravel and Arriva websites or via the Arriva app.
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