Flyover demolition expected by year end
The demolition of the Churchill Way flyovers in Liverpool could be completed by the end of the year, at a cost of £6.75m, with a masterplan to be created to guide the future of the available land.
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet next Friday is seeking permission to remove the 50-year-old structures in a phased demolition, after a safety inspection last year found “multiple, significant defects”.
The two-lane, concrete highways, opened as part of a city centre inner ring road scheme that was later cancelled, were closed at the end of September 2018 after construction flaws were discovered.
According to the council, it would cost £7.2m just to maintain the structure, with no traffic allowed, for the remaining 20 years of its lifespan.
The proposed demolition, which includes the removal of the flyovers and associated footbridges, would see the installation of a temporary footbridge over Hunter Street and minor highway improvements to address current traffic issues in the area. Several trees in the area will need to be removed but the council said it would seek to replant.
At the same time Liverpool City Council’s highways team will develop a detailed proposal to improve connectivity in the area, and alongside this a masterplan would be created to manage the land released by the demolition.
Minor alterations will also be made to the highway layout around the Hunter Street, Byrom Street, Queensway Tunnel entrance, to improve traffic and pedestrian movements.
The demolition is not expected to impact nearby roadworks or developments.
Funding for the proposed demolition will come from the Liverpool City Centre Connectivity Phase 1 Grant Fund Agreement and subject to cabinet approval, the city council will seek to apply for a grant increase of £1.75m from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to deliver the scheme.
Liverpool needs infrastructure. No roads, no hs2 like Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham. Even Crewe gets a better slice of the cake than Liverpool. We have got to stop the status quo of Liverpool being the lesser city.
By MMcDiva
Liverpool doesn’t need further investment yet as it it not at capacity.
By Met
Liverpool is most definitely the better city and all the better for stitching back together our historic quarters which the demolition if these flyovers will facilitate. HS3 Liverpool to Hull WILL come, in stages yes, but surely enough it will come. Liverpool first phase will connect us to HS2. We are the city of the future for the north. We have the greatest capacity for growth!
By Roscoe
Met – Of course Liverpool needs further investment. We are a good ten years behind Manchester the self named capital of the north. We need offices and roads that lead to them, and trains. We have got to get out of this mindset that Liverpool’is just a dormitory town. We are a big city so let’s act like one.
By Hissy McPrissy
Liverpool Lime Street: capacity already; Liverpool Central, bursting at the seams; Liverpool James Street, ditto; routes into the city, not as bad as Manchester but need improving. Mersey Gateway bridge; exceeding all predictions. Paddington Village, huge growth; international visitors, up every year; shopping, bucking the trend in style. The new economy; up with the best. Livability; the best in the league.
Liverpool believes in ourselves and others do too.
By Roscoe
I seem to remember Liverpool Vision were pushing for the removal of the flyovers in the mid/late-2000s but the City Council said no… shame it’s taken them so long to see sense!
By MancLad
This is a HUGE opportunity for the city centre and indeed the Scotty area nearby to create a modern well thought-out gateway. The proof will be in the masterplan that comes out.
MMcDiva – Liverpool actually fares very well nationally for miles of road/capita. What is needed is a continued focus on sustainable travel infrastructure, which the city council has actually done a reasonably good job of. Knocking down this outdated relic is great evidence of an ambitious and forward-thinking city region.
By Relic
Roads ….ok .
..but rail link to airport and especially HS2 proper link essential
By Graham
Will be glad to see the flyovers go. An active frontage and new mixed-use development, facing Hunter Street, will help to bring activity to the top end of Lime Street and to Byrom Street and could be a game-changer for Liverpool’s ‘Acropolis’ – the area around the Plateau, St Johns Gardens and William Brown Street – an important part of the World Heritage Site. The new Masterplan needs to be bold enough to grasp this opportunity to combine the twin imperatives of development and conservation.
By Trevor Skempton
I don’t use the flyover as I get the bus but it is ugly even though it must give great views of the historic city! Agree Mr McDiv and Mr Roscoe! Liverpool is by far the most historic city for the future in the north but anti Liverpool and pro Crewe Manchester Leeds bias in government means we can’t to build office’s! This must stop!
By Mary Woolley
Trevor Skempton – couldn’t agree more, you put it better than I did.
By Relic
As a doctoral researcher often based at LJMU’s Byrom Street campus we are completely in the dark about the forthcoming alternative access arrangements during and after the viaduct demoltion.
Does anyone know what is going on?
By ABC123
“a safety inspection last year found “multiple, significant defects”.” Like many others, I have been driving over these roads for the last 40 years!!! Ignorance was definitely bliss in this case! Thank goodness they were found before something catastrophic happened.
By D
So… how old is the fly over at bottom of M62? and what condition is that in?
By P connell
the end of the M62 where the elevated section of M62 suddenly returns to earth was built circa 1970. Being an old git I remember it going up
By D