Home to the magnificent St George’s Hall and the Empire Theatre, Lime Street will be undergo a major transformation that is due to complete in summer 2021. Tony McDonough reports
Work on the £9m upgrade of one of Liverpool’s most famous streets gets under way this week.
Lime Street, home to the magnificent St George’s Hall and the Empire Theatre, will be reduced to a single carriageway in each direction to improve access for pedestrians, cyclists and bus passengers.
Liverpool City Council says the transformation of Lime Street is “critical” to the Liverpool City Centre Connectivity Programme which has already led to changes to Victoria Street, Dale Street, Brownlow Hill, a new city Bus Hub and the removal of the Churchill Way Flyover.
It has has appointed contractor mncn to carry out the scheme which includes a new cycle lane and the severing of the northbound lane at the junction of Hanover Street, outside the Adelphi Hotel. It is due for completion in summer 2021.
The Lime Street revamp will also see changes to the way bus services work in the city centre, with all but a limited number of routes now terminating at either Queens Square or Liverpool ONE bus station. These changes will then allow the city’s new Bus Hub to become fully operational.
Subject to the introduction of a bus priority measures, such as a bus gate or dedicated bus lane, the 82 bus service from south Liverpool will also be able to return to serve Hanover Street. Final changes to bus services will come into effect from early next year with further details to follow from Merseytravel.
The Lime Street designs also include the installation of a water feature at the southern end of the plateau. It will also see a widened, boulevard style pavement running the entire length up to the Adelphi Hotel, which sits within the newly branded Upper Central gateway leading to the city’s Knowledge Quarter.
The £47m LCCC programme is receiving £40.1m 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.
Simon O’Brien, Cycling Commissioner for Liverpool, is backing the Lime Street plan. He said: “I feel that the Lime Street scheme is truly the start of a new journey for Liverpool. As people arrive into our amazing home they will now be able to step off the train and walk or cycle from the station into the heart of the city with ease and comfort.
“For me it’s a real statement by Liverpool City Council. A people (and planet) first approach. The hub of a new network which will spread out to all corners of our region. Brilliant.”