Construction firm GRAHAM is to start works on two major highway improvement schemes in Birkenhead town centre, on behalf of Wirral Council.

Both schemes are designed to make the areas more attractive and improve accessibility and safety for all road users, including cyclists and pedestrians.

Funded from a combination of sources, including the UK government’s Future High Street Fund (FHSF) and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Active Travel fund, the programmes will complement the wider Birkenhead regeneration plans that are already underway in the town.

The project team have started setting up work compounds, with work starting in May and running through to the summer of 2025.

One of the highway schemes covers the area close to Conway Park railway station and Birkenhead bus station. On Conway Street, between Hemingford Street and Argyle Street, there will be a full replacement of the footpath on the north side of the road, with new trees complementing the existing ones. There will also be a segregated cycleway created on the north side of the road with better pedestrian and cycle crossing points along Conway Street.

-- Advertisement --

As part of the same scheme, the existing dual carriageway on Europa Boulevard will be reduced, and a new cycleway created using the west side of the carriageway, and two-way traffic will be introduced on the east side of Europa Boulevard. This part of the scheme also includes the replacement of the current paving.

The final part of this scheme will see the Europa Square car park reconfigured to provide a better, safer connection for pedestrians and cyclists between Birkenhead bus station and Conway Park railway station. It will result in the loss of 50 car parking spaces in the car park.

The total funding allocated to delivering this programme is £8.9million consisting of nearly £4 million from the UK government’s Future High Streets Fund – part of a £25m FHSF award to Wirral – and £3.85 million from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. The remainder of the funding is provided through the Wirral Growth Company.

The other scheme, which is fully funded by a £2.9m award from the Future High Streets Fund, is taking place around Charing Cross and the junction with Grange Road and Grange Road West.

The junction itself will see improved pedestrian crossings and new paving installed, while on Grange Road there will also be new paving, as well as new trees planted to complement the existing ones and there will be an increased focus on preventing vehicles accessing this area outside of loading times.