Liverpool City Council is set to green light a new strategy to transform how people move around Liverpool city centre over the next 20 years. Cllr Dan Barrington discusses how the plan will increase safety, well-being and quality of life for everyone.
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet this week approved a vitally important plan that will help improve the lives of our residents, commuters and visitors.
Our 20-year Urban Mobility and Public Spaces Plan aims to increase the use of public transport, walking, and cycling while reducing reliance on private vehicles.
This ambitious plan, part of the Council’s commitment to achieving net-zero status, will guide multi-million-pound enhancements to transport infrastructure and vibrant public spaces.
What does that mean for our city and residents?
Firstly, it means improving bus routes and connectivity between major transport hubs. Whether it’s commuters travelling to work or people out enjoying the vibrant social scene in Liverpool, everyone needs to have a fully integrated public transport system. Without it we simply will not be able to reduce car usage on our roads.
At the same time, we will be prioritizing safe and accessible cycling and walking routes throughout the city centre. Castle Street and London Road will be revitalized to create more pedestrian-friendly environments.
Obviously, we have seen work completed towards these objectives in the last few years, such as the Liverpool City Centre connectivity program, which saw significant investments in upgrading key routes.
A Focus on People and Place
The plan emphasizes a “people-first” approach, prioritizing the needs of commuters, residents, businesses, and visitors. It will also focus on environmental sustainability, reducing carbon emissions, and improving air quality.
Immediate Actions and Long-Term Vision
The plan outlines a phased approach, with immediate “quick win” projects followed by more ambitious long-term initiatives. These include:
- Improving pedestrian and public transport links at key locations.
- Developing a city-wide parking strategy to address issues like pavement parking.
- Exploring innovative solutions like bus franchising to improve public transport efficiency.
- A more sustainable future for Liverpool
One of the actions we will be looking at taking is the introduction of 20mph zones within Liverpool city centre.
This has proved successful in other parts of the UK, such as Wales where road traffic collisions, injuries and deaths have all been reduced without a significant increase in car journey times. These types of policies may attract some initial negative responses. But once residents, businesses and commuters experience the benefits that can be realised they are won over to a new way of doing things.
