£65 million Edge Lane improvements completed
10 May 2012
TRANSPORT minister Norman Baker visited Liverpool on Wednesday 9 May to mark the completion of a multi-million scheme which has transformed a major route into the city centre.
The Under Secretary of State for Transport toured the £65million Edge Lane scheme, following the completion of the final phase of the scheme – Edge Lane West, between Botanic Place and Hall Lane.
2020 Liverpool and Mouchel helped the city council obtain Government funding for the proejct and designed the highway improvement schemes for Edge Lane and Hall Lane on behalf of the council - including concept and branding, as well as providing project management on site.
The MP saw the major improvements which have been made - including the widening of the road to make it a dual carriageway, reducing bottlenecks and improving safety and journey times into and out of the city centre.
Work on the final phase of the scheme also included the building of a new central reservation, the re-modelling of existing junctions, improvements to pedestrian facilities and the installation of new street lighting.
The roadworks complement the £19 million highway improvements on the adjacent Hall Lane, which were completed last year, completing plans for a modern, two-lane dual carriageway between the M62 Rocket Junction and the city centre.
Chris Lavery, Managing Director of 2020 Liverpool, said: "We're proud to have been an integral part of obtaining the funding, designing and delivering this exciting project which forms the final link to open up the primary route into the city from the national motorway network. This project will play a major role in the continued regeneration of the city."
The newly-elected Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said: "Every major city needs to have really good arterial road links and these improvements are something that Liverpool people – and in particular the business community - have been requesting for decades. It's fantastic that it's now become a reality."
The roadworks form part of the wider £350 million Edge Lane Project, a comprehensive regeneration scheme which includes highway improvements, over 550 new housing units and more than one million square feet of new and refurbished commercial and retail floorspace and community facilities.
It is estimated that the project has safeguarded nearly 2,000 jobs, as well improving local services and the local environment, with over 100 new trees being planted.