Queen Square Bus Station
upgrade
QUEEN Square Bus Station is set to
benefit from improvement works resulting in smoother and more comfortable
journeys for customers.
Essential resurfacing works will be carried out at the Bus Station for about
10 weeks starting from 24 January 2015.
To minimise disruption, the improvement works will be carried out in 2
phases over 2016 as follows:-
► Phase 1 (about 5 weeks) - Inbound carriageway will be closed, resurfaced and
reopened. Bus services will use temporary stops during the closure.
► Phase 2 (about 5 weeks) - Outbound carriageway will be closed, resurfaced
and re-opened. Bus services will use temporary stops during the closure.
Customers are advised that temporary bus stops will be sited at St Johns
Lane, Lime Street and Victoria Street.
The travel and information centre will remain open and there will be extra
staff at key locations to direct bus passengers to temporary stops and give
further travel information.
An improved safe pedestrian crossing at the current Pelican crossing
location will also be installed as part of the works.
Originally constructed in 1996, Queen Square Bus Station , which is owned and
operated by Merseytravel, caters for a 1 million buses each year and is
reputed to be the busiest in Europe. With this in mind, contractors will be
working seven days a week, to keep the closure period as short as possible
and minimise disruption to passengers and local businesses.
The road surface is already in a state of disrepair and a full resurfacing
programme is the most cost effective solution. A robust, hard wearing
material will be used giving the Bus Station surface a 25 year life span.
Customers are advised that further information about the £450,000 plans,
temporary bus stops and travel advice will be available nearer the time and
via the Merseytravel website, bus stops, Traveline, travel and information
centre, leaflets, and social media.
Cllr Liam Robinson, Merseytravel Chair said:- "Queen Square is of
critical importance to the local transport network and the local economy.
These improvements are necessary to ensure that it remains a great facility
and a key interchange for work, leisure and retail links both to and from
the City centre.
This is just 1 of the ways we can enhance customers' experience which is a
priority for us and the new Bus Alliance which we announced just last week.
The City region's vibrant and jam packed annual calendar of major events and
various improvement projects means that it is not easy to identify a good
time to carry out such important works but we have carefully considered the
timing and we have chosen the quietest time of the year in order to minimise
impact on passengers and businesses. We want to tell customers now so that
they can get the date in their diary and factor this in when planning
journeys. Although we anticipate there will be delays and disruptions to
services, to do nothing is not an option. However, a world class transport
network needs to be supported by a good infrastructure that meets the needs
of the modern traveller and supports the local economy and this improvement
work will ultimately benefit passengers and local businesses once
completed."
Bill Addy, Chief Executive of Liverpool BID Company, which represents 1,500
businesses in Liverpool City centre, said:- "It's very encouraging to
see investment in Queen Square station. It is a major hub in the City centre
and handles a tremendous volume of traffic every day. Although there will be
disruption, which we will work with Merseytravel to help mitigate as much as
possible, businesses and the public will appreciate this work needs to be
done and understand the long term gains will be worth it." |