Wirral clears path for £12m Birkenhead active travel projects

Conway Street, Europa Boulevard, Grange Road, and Charing Cross are all set for upgrades to improve pedestrian and cycling access.

Wirral Council greenlit two active travel projects at its environment, climate emergency, and transport committee meeting on Monday. Both were developed with the assistance of Mott MacDonald, who worked with Planit-IE on the Charing Cross and Grange Road schemes and BCA Landscape on the Europa Boulevard and Conway Street projects.

Mott MacDonald and Planit-IE worked with the council to develop changes to Europa Boulevard. Credit: via consultation documents

The first scheme is valued at £9m and focuses on Conway Street and Europa Boulevard in Birkenhead. The project has received support from the government’s Future High Street Fund and Active Travel Fund.

Under the approved plans, Conway Street will see improvements between its junction with Hemingford Street and up to the roundabout at Argyle Street. There will be new trees planted, a fully segregated cycleway added, and improved access points installed.

A fully segregated cycleway is also planned for the west side of Europa Boulevard, which will receive new pavement and additional public realm through the removal of 50 spaces at the Europa Car Park.

How Wirral Council hopes Grange Road will look if its consultation plans are implemented. Credit: Planit-IE

The second project has a price tag of £3m and is centred on Grange Road, Charing Cross, and Grange Road West. Funding for this project also came from the Future High Street Fund.

This project includes upgrading street furniture, planting trees, and replacing pedestrian crossings. There would also be electric bollards installed at the junction of Grange Road and Charing Cross to create a timed vehicular access restriction. Consists of: Replacement of paving, new trees, upgrading street furniture.

Wirral Council will also trial a low-traffic neighbourhood on Grange Road West between its junction with Charing Cross and where the road meets Clayton Street.

With permission secured, the council can now move forward with appointing a contractor via the Procure Partnerships Framework. This will enable Wirral Council to spend its earned Future High Streets Fund and Active Travel Fund awards, which have a spending deadline of March 2024.