Computer-generated images show a new public square outside Lime Street station and an expanded plateau outside St George’s Hall. Tony McDonough reports

New images show how Liverpool’s Lime Street could be transformed to create a “world class gateway experience”.

Released by Liverpool City Council, the CGIs show a new public square outside Lime Street station and an expanded plateau outside St George’s Hall and the plans are part of a wider £45m programme that will transform connectivity and how people move around Liverpool city centre – by foot, bike, car, coach and bus.

The council has revealed the images ahead of a public information exercise on the Lime Street plans, which are central to the Liverpool City Centre Connectivity (LCCC) scheme, at Central Library on Wednesday, December 12, from 10am to 6pm.

Single carriageway

The widening of St George’s Plateau, to begin in early 2020, will see Lime Street reduced to a single carriageway for northbound traffic only with access in to the city centre via St John’s Lane.

A key aim of the LCCC scheme is to achieve a major reduction in congestion in the city centre by creating a new hub for buses to park and layover in. This project includes the proposed repositioning of Queen Square bus station for northbound bus routes and Liverpool One bus station for southbound bus routes, which will be underpinned by the Lime Street redesign.

It is claimed the new hub, which has met with local opposition, and re-routed bus services will save over 750,000 bus miles and 2,000 tonnes of CO2 being emitted into the atmosphere every year. A planning application is scheduled to be heard by the Planning Committee on Tuesday, January 8.

Water feature

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. A proposed dedicated cycle lane will no longer feature in the scheme following feedback from the public consultation last year.

The Lime Street revamp will also connect to the improvement works carried out by Ion Developments Ltd with a widened, boulevard style pavement running the entire length up to the Adelphi Hotel, which sits within the Knowledge Quarter Gateway.

The scheme is receiving £38.4m 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.  

World class welcome

Councillor James Noakes, Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “For millions of people Lime Street is the gateway into Liverpool and these stunning new designs illustrate the potential for creating 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.”

Phase one of the scheme is to begin in January on this timetable:

• January ‘19 to Autumn ‘19 – Victoria Street: This will include removal of bus layovers as well as tree planting and new public realm features, creating wider footways and options for street café’s.
• January ‘19 to May ‘19 – Moorfields: Improving the footways and introducing new trees to enhance the area and the entrance into Moorfields Station.
• March ‘19 to May ‘19 – City Bus Hub: Creating a new bus layover with welfare facilities in Old Haymarket for buses leaving Queen Square bus station so reducing congestion and pollution in the city centre.
• April ‘19 to September ‘19 – Brownlow Hill: Creating a new cycle link with Lime Street, and improved public areas that create a place for enjoying and accessing the Knowledge Quarter.
• June ‘19 to November ‘19 – Tithebarn Street: Includes creation of new cycleway to enhance links with Lime Street and the waterfront.
• July ‘19 to November ‘19 – City Coach Park: On Riverside Drive – a dedicated facility with provision to accommodate 30 vehicles.

The second stage will see the installation of new bridges at Canning Dock and a series of highways improvements along The Strand, with work scheduled to begin in late 2019.