Work to begin on Whitechapel upgrade
Work to upgrade Whitechapel and Stanley Street as part of a £1.5 million City Centre Movement Strategy scheme begins on Monday, 8th January, 2007.
Work is already underway on Church Street and Lord Street with a £5.5 million project, running on time and on budget, and this is being extended to include part of Whitechapel and Stanley Street with both schemes due to be completed in Summer 2007.
The improvements include pedestrianising the area outside the Metquarter shopping centre and making Whitechapel a pedestrian zone between Sir Thomas Street and Church Street with hydraulic bollards installed to prevent vehicles from entering between 10am and 6pm.
The new pedestrian zone will be repaved with the same high quality granite that is now in the Cavern Quarter and Williamson Square, with new street lighting, new trees, and new benches and bins.
There will also be changes to loading and parking in the area with loading restricted to between 6pm and 10am, to fit in with all the adjoining pedestrian areas and a new loading bay will be provided on Stanley Street.
Following full consultation with the Taxi Association, the taxi rank that is currently on Whitechapel outside the Metquarter is being moved to Stanley Street. Taxis will enter Stanley Street from Victoria Street, wait alongside the Metquarter, and then turn at the bottom of Stanley Street and exit back onto Victoria Street.
Consultation has also been carried out with all the businesses and retailers in the immediate area, including two exhibitions and visits from the contractor, Balfour Beatty, to discuss loading requirements.
The disabled parking that is currently along this section of Stanley Street will be moved to new sites in the area.
The work will be carried out in sections, similar to the work along Church Street and Lord Street, with the first phase on the Boots side of Whitechapel from Church Street to Stanley Street.
Cllr Peter Millea, Liverpool City Council's Executive Member for Regeneration and Transport, explained:
"This scheme will complete the city centre pedestrian improvements which began with Williamson Square and the Cavern Walks and continued with Church Street and Lord Street.
"We will work closely with all retailers and businesses around Whitechapel and Stanley Street to minimise disruption as we improve and upgrade the area."