Combined Authority explains for the first time how region’s biggest every transport settlement will be spent
£1.6bn is being invested in the Liverpool City Region’s public transport network (Image: Andrew Teebay/Liverpool Echo)
Details of how the Liverpool City Region’s biggest ever investment in public transport will be spent have been revealed. A £1.6 billion cash bonanza will go towards creating new train stations, rapid transit routes and smart ticketing across the region’s entire transport network.
The Transport for City Region (TCR) settlement was secured in the summer and confirmed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of this year’s Spending Review. Liverpool City Region is the first Combined Authority to outline exactly where the £1.6bn it is receiving will be spent.
Transport chiefs say network improvements should result in a 20% increase in residents being able to access Liverpool city centre by public transport within 30 minutes as well as a marked increase in the number of residents being directly linked to town centres across the region. The funding is also expected to lead to a 20% increase in residents living within 800 meters of a step-free rail station.
How will the £1.6bn be spent?
Here is a breakdown of how the combined authority intends to spend its biggest ever transport settlement.
Rail investment
How the new Baltic Station could look
The CA says that at the heart of the plan is the biggest-ever investment in local rail station infrastructure. This includes advancing work on three planned new stations – Carr Mill in St Helens, Woodchurch in Wirral and Daresbury in Halton, alongside committed schemes at Liverpool Baltic and a redeveloped Runcorn station.
Transport bosses say these projects will expand the reach of the region’s rail network, including a new connection to Sci-Tech Daresbury, where a direct rail link is expected to support 8,000 new jobs.
Rapid Transit
£100m will be invested in a new rapid transit network (Image: Liverpool Echo)
In his last election manifesto, Steve Rotheram committed to bringing in a new form of public transport, sometimes referred to as rapid transit or a ‘Glider’, which can operate on dedicated lanes or on normal roads.
£100m of the government cash will be used by the region to push forward with a commitment to deliver a new Rapid Transit network, new services between Liverpool city centre, John Lennon Airport, and key locations in North Liverpool.
The CA says this investment will support wider regeneration and improve access to major destinations including Liverpool FC’s Anfield stadium and Everton’s Hill Dickinson stadium, using traffic priority measures and other road infrastructure upgrades to speed up journey times.
Bus network
The city region is working to bring its buses back under public control(Image: Alexander Dennis)
Money will also be used to accelerate plans to transform the region’s bus network, supporting the introduction of a brand-new fleet, new depot infrastructure, and the rollout of franchising—returning buses to public control for the first time in nearly 40 years.
Better connections
Designs for a new transport interchange and civic square in St Helens.(Image: Liverpool City Region Combined Authority)
The CA says its strategy focuses on achieving “seamless travel” through better connections and integration between rail, bus and active travel. This includes further funding for major infrastructure projects like the new St Helens transport interchange and more than £60m to support the crucial rollout of multimodal smart ticketing across the region.
Roads
More money will be spent improving roads and creating cycle lanes(Image: Copyright Unknown)
More than £300m will be invested in the region’s roads in a major programme of works to upgrade key corridors while also creating new walking and cycling links.
Where will the money be spent?
The Liverpool City Region is made up of six boroughs and the combined authority has explained how each area will benefit from the major cash investment.
Liverpool
– New rail station to serve the Baltic triangle district.
– Rapid transit system linking Liverpool city centre, Liverpool John Lennon airport and Liverpool FC and Everton FC football stadiums.
– New active travel routes connecting Childwall to the city centre and supporting regeneration around Vauxhall and Greatie Market, as well as around key education and employment sites in Knowledge Quarter.
Halton
– New railway station development in Daresbury.
– Refurbishment of Runcorn Station.
– Active travel improvements to support key residential and commercial developments, as well as a direct cycle link from Widnes to St Helens.
Knowsley
– Better links for rail, bus and active travel to support regeneration in Huyton town centre.
– Bus priority improvements to M57 at Prescot reducing journey times.
– New walking and cycling links to serve Kirkby and Prescot town centres.
Sefton
– Improvements to bus, rail and active travel links for Bootle town centre to support the regeneration of the Strand.
– Upgrades to connectivity and public space in Southport town centre to support regeneration, and the development of the Marine Lake Events Centre.
– New walking and cycling links across the borough – from Crosby to Bootle to Southport.
St Helens
– New station development in Carr Mill.
– Further funding to support major regeneration in St Helens town centre, complementing the new transport interchange.
– Repurposing of the former Sutton Oak Line as a movement corridor that connects existing and new communities.
Wirral
– New station development at Woodchurch.
– Active travel and highways improvements to serve a regenerated Birkenhead town centre and the Borough Yard urban village at Hind Street, supporting 1600 new homes.
– Funding for Dock Branch Park, which will see a disused rail line in Birkenhead transformed into a green space and active travel corridor.
Speaking about the investment plans, Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “This £1.6 billion settlement is the largest transport investment in our region’s history and a massive statement of intent towards delivering the greener, more accessible, more affordable and better-connected public transport system our 1.6 million residents deserve.
“Fundamentally, this long-term plan is about inclusive growth. That means new, step-free rail stations, rapid transit links, and smart ticketing that connects communities directly to jobs, new homes, cultural attractions, and of course major regeneration projects.”
The plans will go before a Combined Authority meeting later this month.