Tens of millions of pounds are to be spent getting some of Liverpool’s major transport network projects across the line including the much maligned Lime Street development.
Half a dozen schemes across the city, including completion of the significant upgrades in and around Liverpool’s main train station, will be advanced through funding secured by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority from the Department of Transport.
A Liverpool Council cabinet report ahead of its meeting on Friday said through the Strategic Investment Fund for City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) that Liverpool will receive £13.63M in capital funding for highways maintenance work on the Key Route Network (KRN), reports the Liverpool Echo.
Of this, £4m is for this financial year, with £9.5m to drive work in 2023/24, when the majority of the projects aim to be completed. The city council submitted suggestions for highway maintenance schemes on the KRN, which is controlled by the Combined Authority.
Among the developments selected by the combined authority is the completion of the ongoing and delayed work around Lime Street station. In October, the city council said it hoped the project would be finalised this month.
Lime Street’s troubles have been well documented, with the scheme hit by a series of delays and expensive setbacks. In addition, the installation of active travel signals are expected to be completed by this time next year along the junction of Lowerhouse Lane/Storrington Avenue, as well as the design of further junctions as funding permits including Park Road/Warwick Street; Stanley Road/Commercial Road.
A trio of projects are slated to be finalised by March 2024, including carriageway resurfacing, traffic signal upgrades and upgrade of drainage on Queens Drive between junction with Dovedale Road to junction of Aigburth Vale. Similar works will be implemented along West Derby Road and Wavertree High Street, while footway works, tactile crossings, bus stop upgrades required between Clock Tower and Spofforth Street will be added at the latter.
With regards to Lime Street that funding is to support the work completed and the additional costs of the modifications that were required to expand the facilities provided for all modes of transport. The funding secured by the combined authority must be spent by the council by March 31 2024, but discussions are underway to amend the spend profile if expenditure cannot be achieved within the timescale and ultimately a request can be made to complete the works in 2024/25.
