An Irizar ie tram battery-electric articulated bus is to be route trialled in the Liverpool City Region. It is a further evaluation of bus rapid transit vehicles ahead of the rollout of that concept between the city centre, football stadia and Liverpool John Lennon Airport by the end of 2028.
The ie tram is on loan from Irizar and will carry the yellow-based Metro brand for bus services in the Liverpool City Region that will be franchised over coming years. It follows the visit of a Van Hool Exqui.City that was borrowed from Northern Ireland operator Translink in 2024.
Feedback from passengers will be sought during the ie tram’s time in the region although it will not be used to carry the public. The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) says it will be used “on key commuter routes” to gather feedback and assess performance to help shape the design of the area’s own fleet.
Beyond the first BRT route majoring on football stadia and the airport, LCRCA adds that the network could be expended to other areas that are not currently served by rail.
Speaking about the Irizar ie tram trial, Mayor of the Liverpool City Regin Steve Rotheram says: “This is a big moment on our journey to build the modern, reliable transport system that our area has needed for decades.
“When I talk about a London-style network, I mean a system that is joined-up, easy to use, and where you do not have to think twice about how you are getting from A to B. That is the standard people in our region should expect too – not just those in the capital.
“For too long, places like ours have been treated as an afterthought when it comes to transport funding and infrastructure. But we have secured £1.6 billion from government – and we are putting it to work, building a system that actually works for the 1.6 million people who live here.”
LCRCA notes how an articulated bus can carry 30% more passengers than a double-decker and that additional doors reduce stop dwell times. Off-vehicle ticketing also forms part of the BRT blueprint.
