Contractors for Liverpool City Council, nmcn (formerly North Midland Construction), are now on site at Princes Avenue and Road in Toxteth. Tony McDonough reports
Work has started on a £4m project on one of Liverpool’s best-known boulevards that will include a 1km cycle path through the central reservation.
Contractors for Liverpool City Council, nmcn (formerly North Midland Construction) are now on site at Princes Avenue and Road in Toxteth to embark on the six-month long scheme, due for completion in the summer of 2020.
Its aim is to improve pedestrian and cycle connectivity between south Liverpool and the city centre, with the plan to install a new Citybike station along the route. The works comes as the city council this week announced that work on another new cycle lane is to begin next May, on Lime Street, with another on Regent Road, along the north docks, to complete in spring.
The new cycle path would also form an extension of a new ‘green corridor’ to Otterspool that is due to be delivered in the next 12 months. The URBAN Green UP project has £3.4m of EU funding to install and test three ‘green corridors’ across the city, which was a key recommendation in the city council’s Strategic Green and Open Spaces Review.
The project, which falls between Upper Parliament Street and Princes Park Gate, also aims to stimulate the wider regeneration of an area that was created in Liverpool’s Victorian maritime hey-day.
The wide, tree-lined boulevard styled avenue leading up to Princes Park was built for the city’s merchant class and boasts grand houses as well as a stunning range of religious architecture, including the Grade I listed Gothic/Moorish revival masterpiece that is the Princes Road Jewish Synagogue.
As part of the proposals to regenerate the existing 18.5m wide central reserve, improvements to the area will include:
- New and improved pedestrian and cycle paths linking into the wider neighbourhood.
- New and improved toucan crossings.
- Planting of a number of new trees and new landscaped areas.
- New carriageway surface and drainage improvements.
- Localised footway improvements.
- New seating and lighting.
- Restoration of existing artwork and monuments.
- New public artwork to celebrate the history and people of Toxteth and Liverpool.
This scheme is part of Liverpool City Region’s Sustainable Transport Enhancement Package (STEP) and the city council was successful in being awarded £1.925m from the STEP programme. The remainder of the funding will be provided through the council’s £500m Better Roads programme.
Simon O’Brien, Cycling Commissioner for Liverpool City Region, said: “Princes Avenue is the next step developing a right Royal cycling and walking network. It has the potential to be the link between the whole of the South of the city and the city centre for both pleasure and commuting. Definitely down the right Avenue.”