City Centre roadworks scheme enters new phase

Liverpool City Council’s contractors GRAHAM are completing the first phase of the first package of works for the £45m Liverpool City Centre Connectivity (LCCC) scheme.

The multi-layered scheme, which began on Victoria Street in February, focuses on re-engineering major routes from the city’s waterfront and commercial business district through to the city’s retail and knowledge districts, giving pedestrians and cyclists better access through the city centre.

The second phase will see the following works:

Moorfields – this scheme, which includes new pavements, kerbs and carriageway, is scheduled to be complete by the end of July 2019.From Friday-Sunday, 12-14 July, the road will be fully closed, with no access for loading or parking. Users of the NCP car park will need to enter and exit via Vernon Street, L2 2AY, during this time.

Victoria Street – featuring the removal of bus stops and new pavements, the second phase will begin on Monday, 22 July. Expected to complete by end of November, these works will complement the new Victoria Street Car Park and the recent refurbishment of the Metquarter retail and leisure hub. Phase two will start on the south side from North John Street through to Stanley Street before moving across to the other side for full completion.

Brownlow Hill – works to begin on Monday, 22 July with a view to scheduled completion by end of February 2020. Works taking place on the east side of the road between the intersection with Mount Pleasant and Great Newton Street. Works will mean suspension of bus stops with new footway and carriageway surfaces as well as installation of new kerbs.

City Bus Hub, Old Haymarket – after a meeting with businesses and residents the bus hub works are to now be completed in one phase, with completion due in October 2019. Works to create 12 bays for buses to layover have begun and the Old Haymarket car park and on-street parking will be completely closed from Monday, 15 July to allow construction works to progress. The hub is to be used only by buses running ahead of schedule and is estimated the new facility will help take 900,000km of bus journeys out of the city centre, and 2,000 tonnes of CO2 out of the atmosphere.

(Note: The Victoria Street upgrade and new hub will also enable a new bus timetable to be implemented by Merseytravel in January 2020. The public are invited to comment on these proposed changes online at www.merseytravel.gov.uk/citycentrebus)

City coach park, Riverside Drive – the existing facility is to be expanded to accommodate 30 vehicles. Work on this element will begin in September and complete in February 2020. Site investigations, requiring temporary diversions, will run from July through to September.

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One of the key aims of the LCCC scheme is to improve the public realm in the city centre and enhance Liverpool’s international appeal to investors, shoppers and tourists with its visitor economy, currently valued at £3.9bn/year, expected to grow by 25% over the next 10 years.

The remaining packages of the scheme, which is one of the flagship highways projects in the city council’s wider £500m Better Roads programme, will see a remodelling of Lime Street, with a new event space, and a remodelled Strand along the waterfront. It will also see the introduction of new bridges across Canning Dock to enhance the visitor experience to the city’s museums and UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Better Roads programme also includes a £100m investment to upgrade the city’s North Liverpool corridor with the creation of two new waterfront link roads to support the council’s proposed new Cruise Liner Terminal and a new Isle of Man Ferry Terminal at Peel Land and Property’s £5bn Liverpool Waters development site.

Councillor James Noakes, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “Liverpool city centre is undergoing huge changes and our roads need to keep pace – with a real focus on making them cleaner and greener.

‘’This new connectivity scheme addresses many of our current and future needs to improve the city centre’s environment and it’s welcome, providing an experience befitting a world class city.

‘”The completion of phase one at Victoria Street and Moorfields is welcome news as the public and business can see progress is being made. Disruption is unfortunately inevitable but the long term gains such as improved air quality will benefit our residents and visitors for decades to come.’’

The LCCC scheme is being supported by a £38.4m grant from the Local Growth Fund with city council match funding of £8.7m. Local Growth Funding is awarded to the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and invested through the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority through its Strategic Investment Fund.

For updates on this story, visit the Liverpool City Council website.

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