This is a small station on the Merseyrail network…read more The majority of the time it sees an average number of people using it but when The Open comes to Royal Birkdale Gold Course as it did this year then the numbers rise significantly of those using it as it is the closest station to the course. It has Cycle Storage, Telephone,Help Point,CCTV ,Induction Loop installed and a Shelter Train times are : Monday to Saturday daytimes: 0549, 0604, 0619, 0634, 0647 then at 04 ,19 ,34 and 49 every 15 minutes until 2304 then 2322 Sundays: 0804, 0834,0904, 0934, then every 30 minutes at 04 and 34 minutes past each hour until 2304 Hillside has NO disabled access though and you have to access the platforms by a series of steps. The nearest stations with disabled access are Ainsdale and Birkdale

Stagecoach Bus Merseyside is arguably the largest bus operator in the Merseyside region which…read moreincludes Lancashire, Cheshire, North Wales, Wirral - some bus routes even go between these boroughs including the X2 which connects Liverpool to Preston, via Southport, at 2 hours and 16 minutes this is one of the largest bus journeys's I've come across, this, by comparison, is about the same length of time as a train into London and enough to get the train from Liverpool to Preston and back, with time to spare via Transpennine Express or even the slow Northern train! It amazes me how Stagecoach Bus in Merseyside hasn't been reviewed since July 2010, which is nearly ten whole years. In that time, so much has changed and it seems Stagecoach have got worse, perhaps that is through the complacency of being ahead in the region for too long with little competition. Due to how big Stagecoach is, if you're planning to use public transport around Liverpool you're pretty much going to have to use either Merseyrail or this. They do run train services to Anfield on a match-day, however because of traffic around the ground and the fact the bus has a further route to go after the stadium, they are forced to divert however despite having signs around Queens Square Bus Station and telling the bus driver where I was going, no one told me about the diversion and even other match-goers on the bus didn't seem to know, this was after a long wait for the bus which seemed to suffer delays as well to make it even worse (luckily I didn't miss kick-off!) Buses are typical Stagecoach across the UK, not too modern in most regards. Despite the growth of Arriva in Liverpool, Stagecoach are still the main players and it really does seem that from service, time-keeping and overall condition of buses they are taking that too granted, yet still anything beats First Manchester which caused me trouble for a great number of years closer to home and I do think they make their routes a little clearer than other operators, even if they don't factor diversions into it. 2*

Since my last review, I now have a negative comment about Stagecoach much to my annoyance and shall…read moretherefore drop not 1 but 2 stars in its rating. More recently if you take the 21 route or any other Stagecoach bus that travels along London Road, the driver tends to change driver which could sometimes mean a 10 minute wait which is obviously not good if you're in a hurry to get somewhere. If you're lucky, the switch of driver will take place instantly but on one occasion, I had to wait nearly 15 minutes with other disgruntled passengers because the driver did not turn up, so I had to watch the original driver take a cigarette break whilst I was waiting to get to work on time but ended up late all because of poor service and an arrogant driver who did not even apologise to anybody. Other fed up passengers actually got off and waited for another bus and when that occurred, the driver immediately got back on and started driving; I not only felt sorry for those passengers but thought this was rude and felt as though he was playing games. I requested if he could let me off at the traffic lights as I was already late for work but he simply replied "no" with no apology and without realising that he kept everyone waiting longer than expected. I applaud the group of girls who pressed the stop button several times as they got off. It was obvious that most people were annoyed by the driver's actions. Even though it may not be entirely the driver's fault, Stagecoach should sort out their poor timing when switching drivers (very much unlike them); this took me by surprise. I aim to lodge a formal complaint if this happens more than once and I will suggest others also do so if they experience the same.

Birkenhead Bus Station is actually one of the best things about Birkenhead! For a start, it gets…read moreyou out of there as soon as you like, secondly it's nice to look at as it's a huge glass frame, thirdly it's warm, and finally it's secure so you won't get mugged here. I remember when it first got built and people would marvel at its sheer beauty.. Well that's a lie, people would just bicker and sigh that their buses were late, much as they still do today. But it's a great sheltered space with bus routes leading over to Liverpool and all over the Wirral as far as New Brighton, Heswall and West Kirby. They have two help desks in case you're not too sure what bus to take, or you need a bus pass or a TRIO or Saveaway. They also have a machine that vends cans of pop, and one with hot drinks. What more could you want?

It's not too bad as bus stations go. But all the announcements are proceeded with a very loud…read moredoorbell. Incredibly cheap and quite a shock if you're not deaf. Spend any length of time waiting there and you will end up with post traumatic stress. It's actually quite close to Conway Park station. However for buses; considering it's the nearly the last stop before Liverpool there's actually a large gap between Liverpool buses if you don't have the right ticket. Merseytravel couldn't even sort out a shared ticket arrangement whilst the rail tunnel is closed. It really should do better in terms of providing a shuttle link between Birkenhead and Liverpool.. considering this link is completely covered by a Merseytravel Monopoly (Tolls, ferries, buses, train .. all ultimately accountable and paid to Merseytravel). There's no cycle way in the Birkenhead tunnel's lower deck for example. It terms of some buses it's built in the wrong place... most notably peak time 471,472 bypass the bus station and go straight to Liverpool. The ding-dong doorbell announcements say it all ... an expensive project .. but couldn't be bothered going the extra mile.

And when he eat the cookie he got good Formby…read more This is a super cute little station that is located on Merseyside on the way to Southport, and it's part of the Liverpool area and one of the nice stations that you'll see. It's an impressive and resplendent site (and sight) as it looks brand new, even though it's actually really old. And this station does a great job connecting Formby to the other parts of the greatest city in the UK. Liverpool.

This station looks like it's big, but it really isn't. You get off the train and think--wow, surely…read moreup those stairs inside that big brick building there's a cafe and a shop! But the only thing up there is a ticket booth, a vending machine, and some loos. There are two massive, enclosed shelters either side of the tracks for waiting in, which is great--but I can't help thinking they could have used the space better. There's not a whole lot around here, but there is a park on Duke Street and the local library branch is across the street from the park.

There was alot of homeless people sleeping (I do not have a picture as that would be rude to take a…read morepicture of them) my train got delayed for 2 hours I don't recommend this.

From the outside, Wigan Bus Station looks nice with a relatively new sign, from the entrance from…read moreThe Galleries area but on the inside, it is just your typical bus station and in a way resembles Bury station, with a few platforms split off in a few mini-stations. They is a lot of buses which go from here, including to Manchester, Southport, Bolton and The Trafford Center, but I can't help but feel most of the buses are unneeded and go too far, for example Manchester is only around half an hour on the train, but getting the bus here is 85 minutes and when Southport is also around 1/2 an hour on the train, but still the bus takes nearly 2 hours which is ridiculous, considering services available from Wigan Wallgate. I think it is misleading for people who may not know the area for buses to take so long, when the train takes only a fraction of this, and going on one of these journeys is in a way a punishment, and I'm sure it wouldn't be much cheaper (if anything) than getting the train. I feel to get the best of public transport, the station should work with Wallgate and North Western to encourage people to use the train for longer journeys, and then this station can become a local hub, with more buses going to local destinations which will help benefit Wigan and local towns, and give people a better deal. As a station this is merely average and is your typical bus station, with a newsagents etc, it isn't terrible as it is good to have in central Wigan but sadly I don't feel it deserves over 2 stars.

Ormskirk station is a proper old English train station. It makes me think of the Narnia books--yes,…read morethe books, not the films. I grew up on the books, and that's probably partly why I fell in love with England and eventually moved here. Naturally it's been done up to modern standards, but it still has the feel of an old railway station, making one almost wonder if at any second Miss Marple might hop off the train. Definitely a favourite station of mine in the North West.

Less cuddly, friendly and architecturally interesting than Formby station but then this little stop…read moreoff has even less traffic. The kiosk is located on the Pancho's side of the bridge so it's perfectly located for grabbing a late night bite and catching the last train home/on into Liverpool or Southport. Like all Merseyrail stations, Freshfield has been handily fitted with electronic schedule boards which tell you exactly how long you're going to be waiting for a train but with the kind of excellent service running on the Northern Line (between Southport and Hunts Cross) it's rarely more than fifteen minutes.

I guess the only reason to stop off here is if you are visiting the beach and squirrel reserve. But…read moreit's a lovely area, so even if you just want to explore or have a walk in a new place, this station might be a good dropping off point. It's a small station, though, so you won't find any shops or toilets here. I suggest that if you're the type to buy cold drinks or chocolate bars while you are out, buy them before you leave if you're heading this way.

Had to get a replacement bus pass which required the woman working( forgot her name but was working…read moretoday) to ring multiple people but she sorted it as quickly as she could and I got my pass. I should of had to go to Manchester but she sorted it there in Wigan. Was very friendly and I'm very grateful!

A very reliable taxi company. How much can you say about a cab firm? They do the job. I have their…read morenumber in my mobile phone, and usually have someone round within five minutes if I call for a taxi. The drivers are friendly and efficient, as are the phone operators. They're conveniently located on the main road in Prescot, so it's always handy to pop in there and ask for a cab if you get stuck.

As a taxi company, the drivers are the face of the business - unfortunately, one driver in…read moreparticular means I wouldn't call one of their cabs, if my feet were rotten and the streets were paved with glass! The plate owner of 4117 believes mirror, signal manoeuvre doesn't apply - he only needs manoeuvre, signal - then kick off when others don't prioritise his needs. After pulling up next to me at the roundabout he proceeded to scream and shout, much to the bemusement of his 2 elderly passengers, and then attempt to crash in to me. After finally running a red light, he glided off in a cloud of smoke toward the next victim. I hope this guy applies for his driving test soon, but in the meantime I'd steer well clear (literally). The phone operator was quite polite when I first called to inform him of what had just happened, and while I understand he only had a one sided adrenaline fuelled rant from me, accusing me of breaking the law by being on my phone and driving, doesn't give me much confidence that he will speak to the lunatic driver! (voice controlled dialing by the way). So, in summary, if Alton towers isn't open, and your a Base jumper who loves to take a risk, or just enjoy being driven by a buffoon with no regard for other drivers, ask specifically for plate 4117 - MMA training would be a bonus for when he kicks off at drivers not anticipating his needs and getting out of the way for him