Liverpool could get a new bus network similar to London's in a move it's hoped would mean bigger, better, greener and more reliable public transport for commuters.
It is a decision Greater Manchester has moved forward with already - and now the Centre for Cities think tank says others should do the same.
It comes as part of a wider vision for a better connected system for the Liverpool City Region, with proposals set to be brought forward by the combined authority.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has been taking the views of thousands of residents on how to improve the city region's fragmented and unreliable bus network - and will be bringing forward radical proposals early in the new year, as the Liverpool Echo reports.
One key option on the table is for a London-style bus franchising system where the Metro Mayor and elected bodies would control routes and fares and then pay private operators a flat rate to run the vehicles.
It is thought that this would drive up standards and make the bus operators more publicly accountable - with decisions being made to benefit customers.
Centre for Cities chief executive Andrew Carter said: "Bus deregulation promised to give passengers more choice and lower fares but 30 years on it has failed.
"At a time when more people should be switching from cars to public transport to tackle congestion and air pollution, bus numbers are decreasing in almost every city.
"To reverse this trend, metro mayors should use the powers that they already possess and franchise their local bus networks.
"They should also set themselves an ambitious target to double the number of passengers using buses, in the way that London did."
Mayor Rotheram said big changes will be coming in for buses in the Liverpool City Region.
He said: "We have big ambitions for the future of bus services in the Liverpool City Region and we know how important they are to Echo readers.
“That’s why I have utilised the powers afforded to me under the Bus Services Act 2017 to review how our bus services work, what people want from their buses, and how we best provide bus services in the future.
“Our bus services must meet the needs of customers, be good enough to be seen as a first not last resort and enable people to travel across our city region for work and leisure, to access healthcare and to be active within their communities.
“Since I launched the Big Bus Debate last year, with support from the Liverpool Echo, thousands of people have told us what they want from their buses: services that are on-time, that are reliable, affordable and serve their communities at the times they need them, for example to get to work early in the morning or at night.
"And people also want their transport to be environmentally friendly to help address the climate emergency.
He added: “We are finalising recommendations that will be submitted for approval to the Combined Authority early next year and I look forward to delivering the London-style public transport system that our area and people deserve.”
The wider ambition for the city region is to have a fully joined up transport system - that will be accessed by a new card similar to the Oyster card.
The new MetroCard smart travel scheme will replace the existing Walrus Card and will allow people to use a 'tap and go' method as they use buses, trains and ferries to get around the region.
