Major active travel schemes set to begin in Birkenhead town centre
Two major highway improvement schemes in Birkenhead town centre are to begin shortly.
Both schemes are designed to make the areas more attractive and improve accessibility and safety for all road users, including cyclists and pedestrians.
Funded from a combination of sources, including the UK government’s Future High Street Fund (FHSF) and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Active Travel fund, the programmes will complement the wider Birkenhead regeneration plans that are already underway in the town.
The contractor delivering both schemes is John Graham Construction and they will have staff setting up work compounds from the end of April, with works starting in earnest in May and running through to the summer 2025.
One of the highway schemes covers the area close to Conway Park railway station and Birkenhead bus station. On Conway Street, between Hemingford Street and Argyle Street, there will be a full replacement of the footpath on the north side of the road and new trees planted. There will also be segregated cycleway created on the north side of the road with better pedestrian and cycle crossing points along Conway Street.
As part of the same scheme, the existing dual carriageway on Europa Boulevard will be reduced and a new cycleway created using the west side of the carriageway and two-way traffic being introduced on the east side of Europa Boulevard. This part of the scheme also includes replacement of the current paving.
The final part of this scheme will see the Europa Square car park reconfigured to provide a better, safer connection for pedestrians and cyclists between Birkenhead bus station and Conway Park railway station. It will result in the loss of 50 car parking spaces in the car park.
The total funding allocated to delivering this programme is £8.9million consisting of nearly £4 million from the UK government’s Future High Streets Fund – part of a £25m FHSF award to Wirral – and £3.85 million from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. The remainder of the funding is provided through the Wirral Growth Company.
The other scheme, which is fully funded by a £2.9m award from the Future High Streets Fund, is taking place around Charing Cross and the junction with Grange Road and Grange Road West.
The junction itself will see improved pedestrian crossings and new paving installed, while on Grange Road there will also be new paving, as well as new trees planted to complement the existing ones and there will be an increased focus on preventing vehicles accessing this area outside of loading times.
As part of this scheme of works, a new one-way will be trialled on Grange Road West allowing traffic to drive down Grange Road West only in a westerly direction between Charing Cross and Clayton Street. As this part of the programme is a trial, residents will be able to provide feedback on its effectiveness after it is completed ahead of any decision as to whether the change will be made permanent.
Further details of the Conway Street/Europa Boulevard scheme can be found here
Further details of the Grange Road/Charing Cross scheme can be found here
The contractors, John Graham Construction, are committed to regular direct communication with residents and businesses that might be impacted as the work takes place.
The projects will mean that Price Street Car Park, adjacent to Conway Park station, will be closed to the public for the duration of the works as it is being used as a material storage compound by the contractor.
