Work begins to change direction of traffic outside Lime Street Station
The next City Centre Movement Strategy scheme started on site on Wednesday, 8th March with a £400,000 project to change the direction of traffic on Skelhorne Street and Bolton Street and to install a bus lane on a section of Lime Street.
Skelhorne Street currently takes traffic from Lime Street, along the side of Lime Street Train Station, and up to Copperas Hill. This will be reversed by the end of the CCMS works.
The aim of the 16 week scheme is to improve general access to Lime Street Station, access for public transport and to improve road safety in the area. A new bus stop to serve the airport and ferry terminal will also be installed and the crossing facilities at Lime Street will be upgraded.
For the first ten weeks of the scheme there will be lane restrictions only, then in week eleven of the programme, Skelhorne Street will be closed to all traffic at its junction with Lime Street for a period of four weeks. Access to Lime Street Station will be from Copperas Hill and Bolton Street which will be one way towards the station during the works. At the end of the scheme both Skelhorne Street and Bolton Street will change direction.
A bus lane is being installed on Lime Street from the Adelphi junction to Elliot Street. Only buses and taxis will be able to travel along this stretch of Lime Street towards Lime Street station. Traffic heading towards the Adelphi junction will be unaffected.
Access to Lime Street Station will be maintained throughout the works, both for taxis and motorists. The bus stop on Skelhorne Street will move to Lime Street only when Skelhorne Street is closed for three weeks after Easter.
The scheme is designed to draw traffic away from Lime Street and to ensure motorists use the improved route up Copperas Hill and onto Seymour Street. Those needing to access St John's Car Park from the direction of Renshaw Street can use Skelhorne Street to get down onto Lime Street.
Motorists are reminded that a left turn into Ranelagh Street from Renshaw Street is illegal and is only for buses, taxis, cyclists and loading access.
The City Centre Movement Strategy is a £73 million programme of works to improve the roads and public areas of Liverpool, developed by partners Liverpool City Council, Liverpool Vision and Merseytravel.
Successful schemes already completed include the works in Williamson Square and the Cavern Quarter, Hunter Street and Byrom Street, and around the Commercial Quarter.
The works on Skelhorne Street will be the final piece of the jigsaw in this area after work completed on Renshaw Street and Berry Street, Seymour Street and Copperas Hill at the end of 2005.
Lime Street remains open for traffic but these schemes aim to encourage motorists to consider avoiding Lime Street and to use Copperas Hill and Seymour Street to get out of the City Centre. This will reduce congestion on Lime Street for the benefit of travellers arriving at Lime Street station and visitors enjoying St George's Plateau.
Cllr Peter Millea, Liverpool City Council's Executive Member for Regeneration, explained:
"This is a relatively small scheme but a vital one to keep traffic moving around our City Centre. This will improve access to our main train station, Lime Street, and create better connections across all modes of transport, from bus and train to ferry and air travel. We hope disruption will be kept to a minimum but we apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused."