Private cars now banned from Lime Street in Liverpool city centre with only bikes, buses, taxis and vehicles loading and unloading allowed. Tony McDonough reports

An Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) has come into force on Lime Street in Liverpool city centre which will initially run for six months.

Earlier this year Liverpool City Council finally completed the delayed £11m upgrade of what is a major city centre gateway. From Tuesday, October 11, only bikes, buses, taxis (including private hire) and vehicles loading and unloading can use the street.

All other traffic will be prohibited from heading into Lime Street (between London Road and St George’s Place) and on to St George’s Place. Traffic coming from the north will be directed along Seymour Street and onto Copperas Hill and then Skelhorne Street.

With the ETRO now in force a six-month public consultation will run. This will gain feedback on the improvements to ascertain if any need to be changed before the proposals are made permanent.

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The city council said: The ETRO will be in place for up to 18 months (until April 2024), in a bid to promote active travel, reduce congestion and pollution and improve safety along this key corridor.”

Other measures that have been introduced as part of the Lime Street upgarde include:

• Installation of a two-way segragated cycle lane between Coperras Hill and London Road).
• Bus link in Lime Street between St George’s Place and Skelhorne Street (outside the station).
• Coach bays outside Empire Theatre and North Western Hotel.
• Loading bays outside North Western Hotel and relocated disabled bays on Lord Nelson Street.
• A new bus stop outside North Western Hotel.
• A new 20mph speed limit on Lime Street, St Johns Lane and St George’s Place.

Access to St John’s Car Park and Holiday Inn will be maintained via Skelhorne Street and Elliot Street. Comments can be made about the scheme, by emailing nevil.basnett@liverpool.gov.uk and quoting the following reference – LS/RT/ETRO 10338A/TM 3673/2052.3563