Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram first backed the plan in 2016 and it was thought a design would be unveiled last yearSteve Rotheram backed plans for an official flag during his first candidacySteve Rotheram backed plans for an official flag during his first candidacy

Almost a decade on from first being outlined by Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, we are still no closer to the Liverpool City Region’s first ever flag. Back when he stood as a candidate for the inaugural City Region Mayoral election, the former Walton MP said he would like to reintroduce a banner for the area after the former Merseyside emblem fell by the wayside.

Last year, the ECHO revealed how as part of a major change to transport branding, work would get underway to bring forward the flag alongside the move from Merseytravel to Transport for Liverpool City Region. There had been thoughts this could have been introduced by the end of 2024.

Now, with 2026 on the horizon, 10 years on from Mr Rotheram’s first declaration of desire for a flag, we now know a bit more about the way the wind is blowing. Ben O’Brien, the combined authority’s head of communications and marketing, gave an update earlier this week on progress for a design.

In 2016 during his campaign, Mr Rotheram said he would not rule out reviving the old Merseyside flag for the wider city region – but said it may need “bringing into the 21st century.”

This is the flag of the short-lived Merseyside County Council, which was established in 1974 but was abolished in 1986This is the flag of the short-lived Merseyside County Council, which was established in 1974 but was abolished in 1986(Image: Orionist)

He said: “I would have a public consultation on how the flag should look and let the talent we have within the Liverpool City Region decide the makeup of it.”

In 1974, the now defunct Merseyside county council was launched and with it the flag of Merseyside. It includes white waves on a blue background, representing the river Mersey.

It also features six gold crowns, which symbolise the old county boroughs of Birkenhead, Bootle, Liverpool, Southport, St Helens, and Wallasey. The current city region comprises Liverpool, Wirral, St Helens, Knowsley Halton and St Helens.

Last year, the ECHO reported how as part of the Merseytravel rebrand, an official crest and flag would be designed for the wider city region, expected by the end of 2024. A performance document scrutinised by city region members said the next “development phase” of the flag’s design would commence in the third quarter of the year.

The Mann Island building where the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is basedThe Mann Island building where the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is based(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)

Mr O’Brien explained: “We’re looking at developing the crest and flag as an independent item but we’ve sought to align it with the work we’re doing with the place brand for the city region and that’s linked to how we recognise the strengths of our brand already and our history and particularly the strength of our culture, about how we modernise that and bring it up to date with the innovation within the city region.

“We committed that we would hold a workshop with visitor economy and inward investment colleagues from within the combined authority but also wider partners and that took place on November 12.”

Mr O’Brien said a timeframe for the design still did not exist but a paper was being prepared internally for the executive team to propose a timescale and project plan.