Liverpool to cut ‘commuter misery’ with £120m Rocket Junction redesign

The city council has put forward a bid to the Government to radically remodel the junction with the M62, including knocking down the Queens Drive flyover, in a bid to cut congestion.

The bid, which forms part of a wider pitch by Transport for the North for central Government funding, includes the demolition of the flyover and replacing it with a roundabout and a dual-lane underpass.

According to the city council, the junction is currently functioning at full capacity during peak hours and this is expected to “deteriorate further” through to 2024.

Investigations have also revealed signs of weakness in the flyover’s structure, showing “significant investment” would be needed to upgrade the structure.

According to the council, the works to the junction could reduce journey times by 15%, and increase traffic flow by 30% by 2030.

Removing the flyover could also create the opportunity for “a significant landmark piece” for the gateway site, one of the key routes into the city centre.

Liverpool’s bid is for £92m from the Department for Transport, with the remainder of the total £120m project value to come from the council’s £500m Better Roads programme.

If approved, works are expected to start in 2023.

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said: “The Rocket is not fit for purpose – it can no longer cope with the traffic coming into the city via the M62 and as welcome to Liverpool is a hugely negative experience.

“As we all know, the junction is flawed as the motorway should have come all the way to the edge of the city centre but stopped at the Queens Drive ring road instead.

“In its current state the Rocket junction is causing commuter misery every single day and by its flawed design is causing congestion and contributing to greater air pollution.

“We need the M62 to work for Liverpool and the wider city region – for our economy and our environment. This scheme needs a huge amount of development and consultation to get it to the stage of delivering it but if the government is serious about investing in the Northern Powerhouse, this is a scheme that will certainly unleash huge benefits for all concerned be they commuters, businesses, residents and visitors to our city.”

Your Comments

Read our comments policy

Related Articles

Sign up to receive the Place Daily Briefing

Join more than 13,000 property professionals and receive your free daily round-up of built environment news direct to your inbox

Subscribe

Join more than 13,000 property professionals and sign up to receive your free daily round-up of built environment news direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you are agreeing to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

"*" indicates required fields

Your Job Field*
Other regional Publications - select below