Queens Drive project to begin

Work on a £2.1m scheme to improve a major Liverpool route is about to get underway.

Carriageway resurfacing begins on Queens Drive on Tuesday 30 August, between the city's boundary with Sefton at Stuart Road and Townsend Avenue.

Liverpool City council, which is investing in the project, said the 10-week scheme will bring essential improvements to the road surface.

The works will be carried out in three phases, to minimise disruption:

• Phase one -Townsend Avenue to Utting Avenue, 30 August-11 September
• Phase two – Utting Avenue to Walton Hall Avenue, 12 September-9 October
• Phase three – Walton Hall Avenue to Stuart Road/Sefton boundary, 10 October-4 November

Cllr Malcolm Kennedy, Liverpool City Council's cabinet member for regeneration and transport, said: "This scheme is the latest part of our work to drive up the quality of our roads. Queens Drive is one of the most important roads in the city, and a major route for business, so it's very important that it is well maintained.

"We'll be working closely with local people and businesses affected by the works to keep them up-to-date and minimise disruption as much as possible."

The council added that information boards were in place for the past three weeks informing the motorists of the start date and timescale of the works.

Variable message signs were also activated at key locations to advise of the works and the council said all local residents and businesses will be kept up-to-date via letter prior to the start of each phase.

Traffic management measures will be in place while the works are on-going. Traffic will be full contra-flow to allow work on each carriageway to be completed, with the road reduced to a single lane in each direction.

A dedicated traffic officer will be on-site 24-hours-a-day to provide access to residential and business properties through the works. The council said all traffic management will be removed on match days to ensure ease of access for football fans to and from the football stadia.

As part of the second phase, Walton Hall Avenue at Queens Drive will be closed, over the weekend of 8 and 9 October, when there are no Liverpool Football Club or Everton Football Club matches due to an England international.

The contractor for the works is Tarmac, with Enterprise Liverpool managing the project.