Almost £100m funding signed off for new Liverpool Baltic train station

Plans for a new train station in an up-and-coming Liverpool neighbourhood are set to move forward as a multi-million pound package of funding has been approved.

Members of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority have today (Friday, September 20) given the go-ahead for £96m to be released for the new station on the edge of the city centre.

Plans for the redevelopment of the long unused stop at the former St James’ location on the edge of the city centre were announced in 2022 with Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram aiming to get passengers on track by 2025. It is now thought the station, which will be located on the northern line, will be opened closer to the end of 2027.

The station, which will be named Liverpool Baltic, will be constructed off Upper Parliament Street and plans include step-free access from street to train, passenger waiting facilities, fully accessible passenger toilets, secured monitored cycle parking and links to an enhanced local active travel network.

With the cash now agreed, a formal planning application could be submitted to Liverpool Council next month. Pending approvals from the Department for Transport, construction is expected to begin on site next year.

Mr Rotheram said the project would deliver “generational change” for the Baltic area and improve connectivity for a part of the city not touched for decades. He said: “This is delivering transformational change across the city region.

“Our investments support the Labour government’s missions to create growth. It’s with great excitement I can announce the allocation of £96m, the impact of this will be felt across the city and wider city region.

“The more I visit it, the more you can see the need for this.” The investment will fund the new station, alongside improvements to active travel and surrounding public spaces, following significant support from a public consultation.

The £96 million required for the station will come from the £710 million City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), dedicated to major transport projects across the city region. This included upgrades to access in Southport, active travel options throughout four local authority areas and support for housing in St Helens at Peasley Cross, as well as active travel infrastructure and junction upgrades at the M57 in Knowsley.

Mr Rotheram also confirmed as part of work going on to upgrade bus services in St Helens, an additional 50 electric double decker buses would be purchased to join the transport fleet.