Description of the scheme
The scheme at Europa Boulevard/Conway Street is a key project in the Birkenhead regeneration programme to improve Birkenhead Town Centre.
The council have awarded the contract to Graham’s (John Graham Ltd) for the delivery of these works.
The scheme will be delivered across three different areas:
1. Conway Street
This focus of this part of the scheme will focus on Conway Street, from its junction with Hemingford Street to the roundabout at Argyle Street. This area will see a full replacement of paving on the north side, with new trees complementing the existing ones.
A fully segregated cycleway will also be introduced on the north side of the road with better pedestrian and cycle crossing points along Conway Street. Existing access points along this section of Conway Street will either be closed or made one-way by raising the footway levels at each junction.
2. Europa Boulevard
This section of the scheme aims to reduce the dual carriageway and share the available space more evenly. A fully segregated cycleway will be introduced on the west side of the Boulevard, with northbound and southbound vehicular traffic using the east side of the boulevard. The scheme also includes the replacement of the current paving.
3. Europa Car Park
Part of the Europa Car Park nearest to the bus station will be removed to provide better connection between Conway Park Station and Birkenhead Town Centre. A short section of Claughton Road, near the bus Station, will also be made one-way and will be designed to be used as a shared surface for all road users. The improvements will result in the loss of 50 car spaces.
Benefits of the scheme
The scheme is designed to make the area a better, safer and a more connected place to live, work and travel.
Works will focus on improving the accessibility of the area by improving crossing points and making it a nice place to be by improving the look of the area and increasing the safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
As these works are a key element of the plans for the town and also fit in with the wider ambitious regeneration programme for Wirral’s whole Left Bank which stretches from Bromborough through Birkenhead, Wirral Waters, Seacombe and Liscard to New Brighton.
How the scheme will be funded
The £8.9million scheme is made up from funding from Future High Street Fund (FHSF), Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Active Travel Fund and Wirral Growth Company.
In December 2020, the council was awarded £25 million from the then Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for its Future High Streets Fund (FHSF) programme which included £3,904,059 for the Conway Street/Europa Boulevard scheme.
The council has also been awarded £3,850,000 of funding from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) to support delivery of the Conway Street / Europa Boulevard Movement Project, with Wirral Growth Company funding completing the funding package.
Timescales
The contractor will be on site from 29 April 2024.
The main works will begin in May 2024, and continue through to Summer 2025.
Background of the scheme
A public consultation (phase 1) on the outline design of the scheme was undertaken between 28 November 2022 and 22 January 2023. The results were reported to and approved at the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee on 24 July 2023.
A further statutory public consultation (phase 2) on the proposed Traffic Regulation Orders was then undertaken between 28 June 2023 and 19 July 2023 which was reported and approved by the Director of Neighbourhoods on 12 January 2024.
The Director of Regeneration and Place approved the award of the contract for highway and infrastructure works at Grange Road/Charing Cross/Grange Road West on 7 March 2024.