Contractors for Liverpool City Council complete £5m of works on the historic Ropewalks district of Liverpool city centre. Tony McDonough reports
Upgrade works worth £5m on four streets in Liverpool city centre have now been completed.
Contractors for Liverpool City Council carried out the upgrade on Fleet Street, Colquitt Street, Back Colquitt Street and Ropewalks Square. They are at the centre of the city’s busiest nightlife hotspots.
Supported by the Combined Authority, works included the replacement of all existing footway and carriageway surfaces, along with the installation of new street furniture, bins, bollards and street lighting.
This programme marked the second phase of highways enhancements to the Ropewalks District after the council implemented improvements to Wood Street and Slater Street in 2021 and 2022.
Due to the historic nature of the rope-making industry, the area is characterised by long narrow streets each running parallel to each other. This in turn has led to congestion and safety issues.
Second phase of improvements began in February and were partially suspended in April and May when the city hosted Eurovision 2023.
The council’s transportation and highways team and their delivery partners are now progressing with the upgrade of more than 29 roads, through an £11m eco-friendly maintenance programme.
This follows the successful delivery of 70 schemes as part of the initial highways investment programme that has been delivered to date across 2022 and 2023, which saw £19.425m invested in highways infrastructure.
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Cllr Dan Barrington, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Highways, said: “The Ropewalks District has developed over the past decade into a hugely popular destination and is now a vital engine in Liverpool’s creative and night-time economies.
“Due to the nature of the narrow roads and the sheer volume of people and traffic attracted to the area, congestion, air pollution and road safety have become big issues.
“Now completed, the Ropewalks District has the high quality public realm it deserves, and it will be a safer, more accessible and more pleasant experience for all concerned.”