MERSEYSIDE'S transport chairman has urged Transport Minister Tom McNulty to do a U-turn on the deregulation of the area's bus services.

Cllr Mark Dowd, chairman of transport executive Merseytravel, wants a London-style system in Liverpool and the four neighbouring areas.

Deregulation has ushered in open "bus wars" on many of Liverpool's key routes, but also left many communities poorly served during evenings, weekends and off-peak times.

Buses from rival firms give a blanket service during busy periods, mainly to cash in on commuter peak periods.

Merseytravel has no authority to control how many buses operate on a particular route, fare levels or frequencies. Instead that is left to the commercial judgments of the rival operators.

In London, bus companies have to bid for licences to operate on routes laid down by Mayor Ken Livingstone's Transport for London agency.

In enables the mayor to decree how often services should run, fare levels and who is allowed to operate on the route.

When bus deregulation was ushered in across Merseyside and the rest of the UK, Greater London was excluded.

Transport chiefs looked at the experience around the country and introduced a new system for London which still allowed commercial bus operations, but overseen by the transport executive.

Cllr Dowd said: "The system we have now is unacceptable because we have no say in the kind of bus services operating in our area. If there was proper regulation, we could ensure that all communities are served day and night. It will be better for passengers and better for the bus companies.

"It will also end the farce of many buses disappearing off the face of the earth once the lucrative peak times have passed."

But Bob Hind, regional managing director of the area's biggest bus operator, Arriva, is against re-regulation of bus services.

He said: "We much prefer a partnership with the transport executive as a way of improving services in Merseyside. Around 93% of our services operate commercially, without any subsidies. Contrast that with London where bus services are subsidised to the tune of around £750m."

Cllr Dowd's call follows the improvements seen on Merseyrail since it was brought under the control of Merseytravel. The executive is the only one in the UK to operate a rail service outside the control of the Strategic Rail Authority.

Ministers are watching what happens with Merseyrail as a possible blueprint for public transport in other areas.

Stephen Pearse, Liverpool Chamber of Commerce transport spokesman, said last night: "I do not see at this stage how re-regulation would make things better. We need all bus operators to have fleets and timetables that better serve the bus-travelling public."

larryneild@dailypost.co.uk