Liverpool-Moving, Changing, Growing

A £73m programme to improve Liverpool city centre for traffic and pedestrians is launched with major changes in roads and public spaces over the next five years. A major public consultation on far-reaching changes on how traffic and pedestrians move around Liverpool City centre is set to start.

The City Centre Movement and Public Realm Strategy is aimed at making the city centre safe, clean, attractive and easy to use whether people are travelling on foot, by bus, rail, ferry or by car and is a key element in the regeneration of Liverpool.

It is planned that the £73 million programme will be completed by 2008 when Liverpool is European Capital of Culture and will provide improved access to the major developments planned for the city centre.

The City Centre Movement and Public Realm Strategy has been developed by the City Council, Merseytravel, Liverpool Vision and Cityfocus. It is based around the themes "Moving, Changing, Growing" and aims to:

Improve accessibility the city centre, helping regeneration and providing access for all. Provide a people friendly city centre
Make the best use of the city's key transport assets
Support the improvement of the architecture and townscape
Work has already started on improving the public realm-the outdoor physical environment - by providing far better surfacing to streets and open spaces and improvements to planting, street furniture and lighting. The first phase is currently taking place in Williamson Square, the Cavern Quarter and East Moorfields and other work included in the strategy is scheduled to take place over the next four years.

Councillor Peter Millea, Liverpool City Council's Executive Member for Regeneration, said: "The City Centre Movement and Public Realm Strategy will have a dramatic impact on the look of the city centre and on how people move about whether they are traveling by car, public transport or on foot and on access for disabled people.

"It is the biggest ever programme of works of this nature to take place in the city centre and aims to create a vibrant area.

"What we want to do is create a high quality environment as we move towards 2008 and make Liverpool a truly world class destination. However we want as many people and groups as possible to make their views known so they can influence what is happening in their city."

Jim Gill, Chief Executive of Liverpool Vision and Cityfocus spokesman said; "Improving connectivity and enhancing the quality of the public realm is integral to our vision for a dynamic, successful and prosperous City Centre. The Movement Strategy will dramatically improve accessibility and movement, deliver a City Centre that works for people and create a world-class environment fit for a European Capital of Culture."

Neil Scales, Chief Executive and Director General of Merseytravel said: "Merseytravel is delighted to be associated with the City Centre Movement and Public Realm Strategy which is a key plank of the Local Transport Plan and will help us regenerate the city and the sub-region.

"Merseytravel is fully committed to the delivery of the Strategy and we look forward to working with our partners Liverpool City Council, Liverpool Vision and Cityfocus on this exciting project."

Source: http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/ccms/press.asp