This week has seen the opening of Tower Road to pedestrians, cyclists and drivers on Tuesday 9 February as the £3.2million scheme nears completion.
Linking to existing cycling and walking routes, the improvements made at Tower Road will make travelling around the borough on foot or bike accessible to more residents and support the wider regeneration of the area.
Throughout the duration of the project, local Wirral-based civil engineering contractor, Cambrianway, have completed a significant amount of work in the area including the widening of pavements, installation of new separate walking and cycling routes, new crossing facilities and the planting of 130 trees.
Cllr Liz Grey, Chair of Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee at Wirral Council, said: “The changes made to this area are the perfect example of the shift that we all need to make over the next few years, to become more environmentally-friendly and adapt to greener ways of living and travelling.
“With more facilities for cyclists and pedestrians, I hope this will encourage more people to choose to walk or bike to their destination, rather than using the car.”
Designed and delivered in partnership with Peel L&P, the new layout will make the popular route more suitable for sustainable and active travel and reduce pollution levels for road users and those in the area.
This project, which started in June 2020, is the first significant streetscape project at Wirral Waters and aims to bring more visitors, students and businesses to the area. The aim is to create further job opportunities as well as supporting the existing businesses, including Wirral Met Construction Training College and The Contact Company offices.
Cllr Anita Leech, Chair of Economy, Regeneration and Development Committee at Wirral Council, said: “The £3.2 million investment project is not only part of the wider cycling and walking infrastructure but the Wirral Waters development and the regeneration of the borough to create improved, safer and greener environments to live and work.
“This project will be a significant starting point for this regeneration and will bring essential jobs for local people and a platform for new businesses to develop – something that as we continue to deal with the impacts of COVID-19 will help provide a much-needed boost to the economy and the morale of the community when we begin to recover.”
The route also sets the tone for Wirral Waters and the wider neighbourhoods, with the surrounding developments to take a similar approach to green infrastructure.
Richard Mawdsley, Director of Development at Peel L&P’s Wirral Waters, said: “The Tower Road area of Wirral Waters is set to become a thriving community, and this new streetscape project is an important part of making it a place where people are happy to live, work and visit.
“The streetscape has been designed to make active travel options such as cycling and walking as safe and easy as possible and is part of our wider strategy to attract new businesses and further investment to the area.
“The new Tower Road streetscape also places environmental considerations at the fore. With 130 new trees planted, new walking and cycling routes, Cycle Maintenance Hubs, and innovative drainage systems watering the trees – the street makes many positive contributions to Wirral’s Climate Action Plan. We’re very pleased to have made another step towards making Wirral Waters one of the most sustainable regeneration projects in the UK.”
Funding for the project was made up of a successful bid of £2.1million from the National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) from the Department of Transport and local contribution from Wirral Council, Peel L&P, Wirral Waters Investment Fund and the European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF).
Extra funding was secured from European Structural Investment Fund (ESIF) and Wirral Waters Investment Fund (WWIF) for the tree planting.
Whilst the road will reopen from Tuesday 9 February, all users should take extra care when using the route to adjust to the new layout. Some minor works will continue until later this month but they will not impact drivers, cyclists and pedestrians using Tower Road.
