The preferred contractor has been chosen for a major investment scheme at Tower Road (A554) that plans to improve the area and lower traffic speeds to make sustainable travel more accessible.
Local Wirral-based civil engineering contractor, Cambrianway Limited, has been awarded the work.
The scheme, which has been designed and delivered in partnership with Peel L&P, will create a new, improved and adaptable street design to support existing businesses, Wirral Met Construction Training College and The Contact Company offices. Improvements made in this scheme, and the wider Wirral Waters development, aim to attract students, visitors and new businesses to create new job opportunities.
Works within the Tower Road scheme will see the widening of pavements and reduced road width to give more space and priority to pedestrians and cyclists, whilst still allowing cars, buses, delivery vans, HGV’s and other vehicles to efficiently use the road.
Cllr Liz Grey, Wirral Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said:
“I am delighted that new improvement projects, such as this scheme at Tower Road, are considering the climate emergency that we face and prioritising sustainable travel.”
Crossing points will connect to walking and cycling routes and improve connections with other transport options to the surrounding areas, with bus shelters, to allow easier access for residents travelling to and from work and college.
Cllr Liz Grey continued:
“By prioritising walking, cycling and providing better links to current routes and public transport for travel around the rest of Wirral, more people will be able to consider sustainable travel as a legitimate option when travelling.”
“Whether that is travel to and from work, visiting family and friends or to access facilities, more people using active and sustainable travel will be hugely beneficial not only for our environment but for the health and well-being of people across the borough.”
Whilst these are the main works, the £3.2 million improvement scheme will also see the planting of approximately 130 trees.
Funding for the project is made up of a successful bid 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 Investment Fund (ESIF).
Extra funding has been secured from European Structural Investment Fund (ESIF) and Wirral Waters Investment Fund (WWIF) for the tree planting.
Improvements to both the structure and look of the street are necessary to protect the area and prepare for the future developments at Wirral Waters.
Cllr Tony Jones, Wirral Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Growth, said:
“We have a vision for a borough that has economic growth at its heart; a vision that will ensure residents are able to access good, high paying jobs in a stable and thriving economy.”
“This scheme is crucial to contributing more widely to the success of the Wirral Waters development area, which is gaining real momentum, as well as to Woodside Waterfront and Birkenhead Town Centre regeneration initiatives. I am pleased Wirral Council is able to support it as part of our wider objectives to bring much-needed regeneration to the borough.”
Over the next five years, there are plans for No 1 Tower Road South (offices), a Maritime Knowledge Hub (for education, training and events) and Egerton Village (providing restaurants, workspace studios and local shops).
The Tower Road Improvement project is a key part of the regeneration of Wirral Waters but also to Wirral as a whole, providing a more attractive and safer street for new businesses and jobs.
Wirral Council and developer Peel L&P undertook an extensive, and hugely successful, public consultation exercise on the planned improvements, which saw residents, businesses and councillors positively engaging with the plans.
Richard Mawdsley, director of development for Wirral Waters at Peel L&P, said:
“It is exciting times at Wirral Waters with work now scheduled to begin along Tower Road in April 2020. Local people will start to see some real change in the area over the coming year with so many new developments on the horizon.”
“A very successful public consultation exercise allowed us to engage with all sectors of the local community, from residents and businesses to local councillors. The feedback received was very positive and people really felt that it helped them to see the bigger picture and how Tower Road, and its connections, are such an important part of the Wirral Waters regeneration project.”
Disruption to road users and local businesses will be minimised as much as possible by using targeted traffic management and clearly signed diversions, where necessary.
