Government gives go-ahead to Hall Lane scheme
(Published: 06 November 2008)
The long awaited £20million eastern road gateway into the city centre has been given the green light by the Government.
The Hall Lane scheme will provide a much improved link between Edge Lane West, Erskine Street and Islington, resulting in fewer delays for drivers heading to the city centre from the M62 motorway.
_tcm81-105818.jpg "Computer drawn visual of the proposed Hall Lane road scheme, looking North towards Prescot Street/Kensington junction")
The new traffic layout will take through-traffic away from Hall Lane itself, which has been a notorious bottleneck since plans to extend the M62 motorway into the heart of the city were abandoned in the 1970s. This will help to reunite the nearby community of Kensington Fields with the community centre and Secred Heart Primary School. The nearby Towerlands Street will also see through-traffic being removed.
A public inquiry had been held in April 2007 into the compulsory purchase and road orders needed for the scheme, but three objections lodged at the start of the inquiry were subsequently withdrawn.
The scheme, being funded by the Department for Transport and the European Regional Development Fund, will be a dual carriageway along most of its length. It will form the eastern perimeter of the new £400million Royal Liverpool Hospital that is planned on the site of the existing hospital's car parks.
To improve the traffic flow between Islington and Grove Street, the junction at Low Hill will be upgraded.
Pedestrian facilities will be provided wherever there are traffic lights, and cycling facilities will also be introduced.
Cllr Peter Millea, Liverpool's executive member for assets and development said:
"This means that we can make real progress on a scheme which has the support of the local community as well as road users. The city needs first-rate gateways into our centre - that is a key part of our regeneration. The Hall Lane scheme will do that, helping both motorists and pedestrians by providing a much better image for visitors. And it will produce a much better environment for the neighbourhood.
"It will also provide a new frontage to the Royal Liverpool Hospital development. We have worked closely with the hospital trust to ensure we could have this scheme and a first class hospital in the city."
Work is scheduled to start early in 2009 and be completed in Autumn 2010.
Find out more details and see plans of the scheme.