Next week, Liverpool City Council’s cabinet will receive an update report on the Liverpool City Centre Connectivity 1 programme (LCCC1).
LCCC1 is an ambitious programme made up by a series of 14 projects that are transforming key routes in the city centre, 11 of which are complete, including, Lime Street and the Strand Phase 1.
The Lime Street scheme in particular faced numerous challenges, including a contractor falling into liquidation, resulting in the need for emergency safety measures, such as traffic marshals, over and above the re-designs that introduced a bus link and reconfigured public realm. These developments saw costs increase by £643,000.
However, the team behind the scheme is confident that the overspend can be brought back into budget. The whole LCCC programme remains within budget overall and the extra £643,000 will be accommodated by scrutinising the cost on all existing parts and reassessing parts of the scheme which have yet to start.
Phase 2 of The Strand and Tithebarn Street are pencilled in for next year when the Eurovision Song Contest has been completed
Said Cllr Dan Barrington, cabinet member for Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment: “The City Centre Connectivity programme is ambitious and complex, but we can already see the benefits of the completed work on the Strand and Lime Street.
“Like many projects of this complexity however, changes will need to be made along the way which will not have been budgeted for and this is what has happened with our Lime Street works.
“As we look ahead to starting further parts of the LCCC project the team are reassessing Phase 2 of the Strand and Tithebarn Street, updating designs and exploring more cost-effective materials which will make sure we stay on budget.”
Strand Phase 1 has been awarded a Healthy Transport Award by the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, and was also highly commended in the Creating Better Places Awards and commended in the Infrastructure Awards.