Multi-million-pound transport schemes hit by delays in Wirral, Knowsley and St Helens

Major Merseyside transport projects have been hit by lengthy delays. Upgrades to motorway junctions and the reconstruction of a train station worth millions of pounds across the region are to be pushed back after being signed off by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA).

The Combined Authority has confirmed a series of changes to its previously approved strategic investment fund projects.

Among these include access to Halsnead Garden Village in Knowsley. The borough council was awarded £12m in March 2019 to make improvements to existing junctions including Tarbock Island.

The scheme focuses on ensuring adequate capacity and resilience of the existing surrounding highway network and improving access to the site. Owing to what Cllr Mike Wharton, LCRCA portfolio holder for culture, tourism and the visitor economy, described as “significant delays” from National Highways in approving the scheme at junction 6 of the M62, the project cannot meet the current completion dates.

As a result, the project is now expected to be finished by June 2025. A report to authority members recommended a financial completion date of March 2026 to allow Knowsley Council the required flexibility to finish the scheme.

Also hit by delay is the replacement of the station building at Lea Green in St Helens. In March 2021, Merseytravel was awarded £10m for the demolition of the previous building and installation of a new provision and facilities. It will also remodel and expand the on-site car park, to increase park and rail capacity from 196 spaces to 439 spaces.

The project has experienced significant delays as it progressed through design and the planning process resulting in delays to start on site. Merseytravel requested an extension for completion to January 2024, having initially been forecast to finish this month. It is expected work could be completed as early as October this year.

The combined authority also confirmed two walking and cycling schemes in the Wirral will now no longer go ahead. Having originally awarded £1.4m for four active travel options in the borough, this has been scaled back after projects at Birkenhead Road and Price Street could no longer be delivered within a funding deadline. The two schemes went out to public consultation in December 2022 and were met with a high number of objections.

In March this year, Wirral Council’s economy, regeneration and housing committee recommended an extension of time and to consider other design options, taking into consideration the concerns raised. As a result, the total funding allocated has reduced from £1.4m to £154,000.