Contractors appointed to stalled Highways schemes within Liverpool

LIVERPOOL City Council has appointed contractors to complete the remaining highways schemes which had stalled following the collapse of VIAM. 5 schemes in total, which had a combined ₤4.9m of work left to complete, were affected when the company went into administration in the summer.

Contractors for two of these schemes, which were less complex in nature; resurfacing on:- Kingsley Road, Toxteth, and new lighting on County Road (A59) in Walton, were appointed via the Council's planned works framework. The lighting works, carried out by Siemens, have completed and Huyton Civils will finalise works on Kingsley Road, within the next 2 weeks.

Following a rigorous tendering process, contractors have now been appointed for the remaining schemes:-

► A59 / County Road and Walton Lane - resurfacing, ducting, kerbing and other civils, delivered by Huyton Asphalt Ltd.

► A565 / Derby Road - resurfacing, ducting, kerbing and other civils, delivered by Dowhigh Ltd.

► Byrom Street - pedestrian crossing, delivered by Colas.

Each scheme will be subject to site investigations to validate works completed to date and to establish what works are left to be undertaken. Various works across the sites will be carried out over the coming weeks, weather permitting, and will then pause for the city's Christmas break which will begin 26 November, resuming 9 January 2022. The Byrom Street scheme will however continue and is scheduled to complete in mid- December.

Councillor Daniel Barrington, Cabinet member for Climate Emergency, Transport and Environment, said:- "The stalling of these highways schemes was a huge blow. We share the frustrations of everyone affected and we apologise for the delays. The varying nature of these schemes has presented numerous challenges to get the works back on track and although we've moved as fast as possible, we know it's not been as fast as people wanted. The upgrades to the A59 and A565, in particular, are more complex and costly as they are of huge consequence to our overall highways network and their completion requires many more steps in the tendering process. I'm delighted that we've now appointed contactors to resume these schemes. The Christmas break will unfortunately mean they won't complete this year, but they will be done in the 1st few months of 2022. The stalling of Lime Street has further tested people's patience which I understand. Our Highways team are working flat out to get this hugely important scheme back on its feet as quickly as possible, and I'm confident that by the run up to Christmas the site will be more accessible for pedestrians than it currently is."

Liverpool City Council is also currently making a full site assessment of Lime Street, following the collapse of the scheme's contractor; NMCN; and will advertise the completion tender in December.
 

Full cast announced for Jersey Boys - in Liverpool from Jan 2022
Photo by Darren Bell...

THE producers and creative team are delighted to announce that in addition to the smash hit West End production currently playing to packed houses at the newly refurbished Trafalgar Theatre, a 2nd company of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award winning musical Jersey Boys will head out on a new tour of the UK and Ireland. Jersey Boys will play the Liverpool Empire Theatre, from Wednesday, 26 January to Saturday, 5 February 2022. Tickets are on sale now.

Previous tour alumni Michael Pickering and Lewis Griffiths return as Frankie Valli and Nick Massi respectively, with Blair Gibson as Bob Gaudio and Dalton Wood as Tommy DeVito. Luke Suri will play Frankie Valli at certain performances.

Also in the cast are Dougie Carter (Hank Majewski), Ryan Carter Wilson (Swing), Emma Crossley (Mary Delgado), Jordan James (Gyp DeCarlo), Norton James (Norm Waxman), Michael Levi (Bob Crewe), Tom O'Brien (Swing), Nathan Routledge (Swing), George Salmon (Joe Pesci), Ellie Seaton (Lorraine), Daisy Steere (Francine), Amy West (Swing), and Damien Winchester (Barry Belson).

The tour will open at New Wimbledon Theatre, on 24 November 2021, booking through to 1 April 2023, with several new dates added. Further dates are to be announced. If you do not already know, Jersey Boys is written by:- Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music by:- Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe.

It takes you behind the music and inside the story of:- 'Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons' in the Tony and Olivier Award winning, true life phenomenon, Jersey Boys. They were just four guys from New Jersey, until they sang their very first note. They had a sound nobody had ever heard… and the radio just couldn't get enough of. But while their harmonies were perfect onstage, off stage it was a very different story a story that has made them an international sensation all over again. From the streets of New Jersey to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this is the musical that's too good to be true. The show is packed with their hits, including Beggin,' Sherry, Walk Like A Man, December, 1963 (Oh What a Night), Big Girls Don't Cry, My Eyes Adored You, Let's Hang On (To What We've Got), Bye Bye Baby, Can't Take My Eyes Off You, Working My Way Back to You, Fallen Angel, Rag Doll and Who Loves You.

Recipient of Broadway's Tony, London's Olivier and Australia's Helpmann Awards for Best New Musical, Jersey Boys is the winner of 65 major awards and has been seen by over 27 million people worldwide.

Jersey Boys originally opened in New York on 6 November 2005 and, by the time it closed on 15 January 2017, it was the 12th longest running show in Broadway history. It returned to New York with a new production in November 2017. The Jersey Boys US National Tour is still breaking house records in Cities across North America.

Jersey Boys first ran in London's West End from 18 March 2008 to 26 March 2017, 9 nine amazing years, and, at the time, was the sixth longest musical running in the West End. This year, the musical returned to the West End, opening the new multi-million pound reinstated Trafalgar Theatre on 10 August 2021. Jersey Boys previously played two record-breaking UK and Ireland Tours from 2014 to 2016 and from 2017 to 2019.

The Jersey Boys UK and Ireland Tour will be staged by the entire original Broadway creative team, led by the Tony Award winning team of:- Director Des McAnuff and Choreographer Sergio Trujillo, with Scenic Design by:- Klara Zieglerova, Costume Design by Jess Goldstein, lighting by:- Howell Binkley, sound by:- Steve Canyon Kennedy and projections design by:- Michael Clark. The orchestrations are by Steve Orich and the music supervision and vocal arrangements by:- Ron Melrose. Casting is by:- Jill Green.