Work starts on the new Lime Street and St. George’s Hall Plateau revamp

Lime Street will be reduced to a single carriageway in each direction as part of a wider £47m upgrade to Liverpool city centre’s road network to improve access for pedestrians, cyclists and bus passengers.

Liverpool City Council has appointed contractor mncn to carry out the scheme which includes a new cycle lane and the severing of the northbound lane at the junction of Hanover Street, outside the Adelphi Hotel.

The year-long Lime Street upgrade is critical to the Liverpool City Centre Connectivity (LCCC) programme which has already led to changes to Victoria Street, Dale Street, Brownlow Hill, a new city Bus Hub and the removal of the Churchill Way Flyover.

Another key element is the major redesign of The Strand on the city’s world heritage listed waterfront. Works are now on site here and this scheme, which also includes a new cycle lane to connect the north and south of the city, is expected to complete in Summer 2021.

The Lime Street revamp will also see changes to the way bus services work in the city centre, with all but a limited number of routes now terminating at either Queens Square or Liverpool ONE bus station. These changes will then allow the city’s new Bus Hub to become fully operational.

Subject to the introduction of a bus priority measures, such as a bus gate or dedicated bus lane, the 82 bus service from South Liverpool will also be able to return to serve Hanover Street.

Final changes to bus services will come into effect from early next year with further detail to follow from Merseytravel.

The Lime Street designs also include the installation of a water feature at the southern end of the plateau, which lies within the city’s World Heritage site.

The Lime Street revamp will also see a widened, boulevard style pavement running the entire length up to the Adelphi Hotel, which sits within the newly branded Upper Central gateway leading to the city’s Knowledge Quarter.

The LCCC programme aims to boost transport links and further fuel Liverpool’s international appeal to investors, shoppers and tourists with its visitor economy, currently valued at £3.6bn/year, once the Covid-19 pandemic is over.

The programme is receiving £40.1m from the Local Growth Fund with local match-funding of £7m and is a major part of Liverpool City Council’s £500m Better Roads programme. 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.

Councillor Sharon Connor, Cabinet Member for Highways, said:

“For millions of people Lime Street is the gateway into Liverpool and we to provide them with a world class welcome.

“A new public square outside Lime Street station and an expanded plateau at St George’s Hall will transform the experience of arriving in Liverpool and how people interact with arguably the UK’s greatest collection of iconic cultural venues.

‘’We’ve made some minor changes with the key one being the cycle lane which was paused whilst we could assess the removal of the Churchill Way Flyover. The city has also declared a Clime Change Emergency and the reduction in congestion enabled by the bus hub and changes to the forthcoming bus routes, will be a big plus for our city’s carbon footprint and air quality.

“This redesign of Lime Street is critical to the new bus hub and changes to Queen Square bus station both of which will ultimately create a cleaner, greener city centre for everyone to enjoy.”

Simon O’Brien, Cycling Commissioner for Liverpool, said:

“I feel that the Lime Street scheme is truly the start of a new journey for Liverpool.

“As people arrive into our amazing home they will now be able to step off the train and walk or cycle from the station into the heart of the city with ease and comfort. For me it’s a real statement by Liverpool City Council. A people (and planet) first approach. The hub of a new network which will spread out to all corners of our region. Brilliant!”