Liverpool outlines £45m city centre connectivity plan
The eight projects being progressed by Liverpool City Council would see a major reworking of the Strand into a four-lane highway, the construction of bus and coach parks, and upgrades to public realm and cycle routes.
The council’s cabinet will meet next Friday to discuss the Liverpool City Centre Connectivity Scheme, which includes several initiatives outlined in Liverpool’s ambitious Strategic Investment Framework launched in 2012. The SIF provided a shopping list of more than 100 projects that could be delivered in the city over the next 15 years,
Almost £40m has been allocated to the connectivity projects from the Local Growth Fund, and a further £6.3m is due to be received through match funding.
To be completed by the end of 2019, the programme of works encompasses:
- St George’s Plateau – New event space: To be created by reclaiming northbound lanes of Lime Street increasing current event capacity
- The Strand: New four lane highway, new north-south cycleway, enhanced animation of public space and road enhancements to improve pedestrian links from waterfront to the Commercial District and main retail area. removal of key junctions including the bus interchange at Mann Island to the Pier Head
- City Bus Hub: To be established near Queen Square bus station accompanied by a new bus routing strategy that will cut congestion and pollution. Queen Square bus station will be used for all northbound routes and Paradise Street station for all southbound routes
- City Coach Park: New off-street layover facility and rest area for drivers and reduce congestion in the city centre
- Canning Dock Bridges: Four new bridges created to link Salthouse Quay and Albert Dock with Mann Island opening up land for future development
- Moorfields entrance: Upgrade to Moorfields station and surrounding public realm to enhance quality of arrival in the Commercial District
- Brownlow Hill: Upgraded public realm and new cycle links from Lime Street station to the Knowledge Quarter, which is part of a £1bn regeneration plan
- Dale Street: One of Liverpool’s ‘Great Streets’, forming part of World Heritage site, will see public realm upgrades plus introduction of new east-west cycleway from Lime Street
The city council report is proposing that the eight projects are split into two contracts, the Strand being a standalone piece of work, and once approved by cabinet will go out to tender.
Once the tender exercise is complete, the cabinet will receive a new report with detailed costs, timescales and further recommendations.
Consultation with stakeholders on the scheme has already begun and a series of public consultation events will begin in September.
