Topping out marks a major student accommodation project in Liverpool

Lost Liverpudlian ocean instrument found after 5 years at sea

AFTER going missing on Christmas Day 5 years ago, deep ocean measuring equipment developed at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) in Liverpool, has just been found on a beach in Tasmania by a local resident after making an incredible 14,000 km journey across the ocean.

In 2011, this deep ocean lander instrument was deployed by NOC scientists in the Northern Drake Passage, which is a narrow section of the Ocean between South America and Antarctica. Measuring Ocean bottom pressure here helps provide information on the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which is the largest Ocean current in the world. The instrument was due to spend 2 years collecting data at a depth of 1100 metres, before being recovered on Christmas Day, in 2013, by a research expedition on the Royal Research Ship (RRS) James Clark Ross, operated by British Antarctic Survey. However it did not return to the surface as planned for reasons that are not clear, possibly due to something getting tangled up with the release mechanism.

After being presumed lost, the deep ocean instrument frame was discovered washed up on a beach on the Western tip of Tasmania. After being made aware of the find, the manufacturers were able to use the serial numbers on 2 of the sensors on the frame to trace the NOC as the owners and contact them.

The instruments, frame and data sensors have now been removed from the beach as a result of a collaboration between the finder of the instrument, the NOC, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) based at the University of Tasmania, in Hobart. The process of removal from the beach took several trips over a number of days, and the data sensors have now been taken to CSIRO where a team have managed to successfully recover some of the information. It is hoped that a scientific analysis of the recovered data will soon provide further insights into this remarkable journey.

This instrument was developed by a team of scientists and engineers at the NOC to measure sea level by means of precision pressure sensors, as well as monitoring salinity and temperature.

Professor Ed Hill, Executive Director of the NOC, said:- "Finding this instrument is like an early Christmas present. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current is key to understanding the dynamics of the global Ocean, so these sustained observations are incredibly important. There is no better place to make these observations than the narrow Drake Passage, which is why this instrument was deployed there before it made its epic journey to Tasmania. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current is 3 times bigger than the Gulf Stream and connects all 3 major Ocean basins, transporting heat and carbon between them. In addition, it circulates around the whole of Antarctica, keeping warm ocean waters away. This allows the Antarctic continent to maintain its huge ice sheet. The NOC's sustained observing of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is an important part of our on going commitment to improve understanding of future environmental change, as well as the relationship between oceans and climate."

Although the research project that this instrument was originally deployed for has now finished, research and annual measurements along the Drake Passage are continuing at the NOC. Currently they are conducted as part of the Ocean Regulation of Climate by Heat and Carbon Sequestration and Transports (ORCHESTRA) long term science programme. Funded by the Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC), this programme aims to use measurements of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, alongside computer simulations, to radically improve scientific understanding of the circulation of the Southern Ocean and its role in the global climate. This programme has a particular emphasis on the way the Southern Ocean absorbs and stores heat and carbon.

New pedestrian bridges on the way

A series of pedestrian bridges connecting Liverpool's Royal Albert Dock to the City's Pier Head have taken a step closer.  Liverpool City Council's cabinet have approved for legal negotiations to be carried out on land ownership which would pave the way 4 new foot bridges to run across Canning Dock, improving connectivity in the heart of the City's World Heritage site.

The ₤2.5m scheme would create a new 300 foot long waterside walkway from the Pump House pub to Mann Island, providing millions of tourists with easy access to and from Liverpool's iconic waterfront and major venues such as the:- Merseyside Maritime Museum, Tate Liverpool and The Beatles Story and the ACC Liverpool complex in Kings Dock.

The investment would create the 1st infrastructure development at the historic site since the Royal Albert Docks re-opened as an international visitor attraction in 1984.

The new bridges, which are scheduled soon, are part of the wider ₤47m Liverpool City Centre Connectivity (LCCC) programme which aims to improve accessibility across the City Centre for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. It also aims to boost transport links and further fuel Liverpool's international appeal to investors, shoppers and tourists with its visitor economy, currently valued at ₤3.6bn/year, expected to grow by 25% over the next 10 years.

The LCCC programme is receiving ₤38.4m from the Local Growth Fund with local match funding of ₤8.6m and is a major part of Liverpool City Council's ₤500m Better Roads programme. Local Growth Funding is awarded to the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and invested through the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority through its Strategic Investment Fund.

Councillor James Noakes, Cabinet Member for Highways, said:- "Liverpool's waterfront has undergone a massive transformation in the past decade to the point that the Royal Albert and Canning Docks are bursting at the seams, especially when we have major events on as well saw when the Giants came in October. The arrival of Liverpool One, the cruise terminal, the arena and conference centre and the new Museum of Liverpool have all fuelled a huge rise in visitors to the waterfront over the past decade, and with more developments to come we need to create new ways for people to navigate around the area. These bridges will provide easy access for visitors to enjoy our fantastic waterfront as well as all of its cultural and historic splendour. They are also part of a wider scheme which will see huge improvements in how people explore and enjoy the City Centre."

Minister for the Northern Powerhouse and Local Growth, Jake Berry, said:- "We're committed to boosting economic growth across the whole of the Northern Powerhouse and building a Britain fit for the future. These 4 new foot bridges across Canning Dock will be the latest addition to Liverpool's stunning waterfront and enable more people to reach the outstanding attractions of the World Heritage site and just one part of our ₤38.4 million investment from the Local Growth Fund in the Liverpool City Centre Connectivity Scheme. By improving access to the City Centre for the people of Liverpool and visitors alike we are supporting businesses to thrive."

Daniel Greenhalgh, Regional Director at Canal and River Trust, the charity, that cares for Liverpool South Docks and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, said:- "Our research shows that spending time by water can help people feel happier and healthier, so we're delighted that this scheme will help more visitors enjoy Liverpool's vibrant waterfront."

Sue Grindrod, chief executive of Royal Albert Dock Liverpool, and chair and director of Liverpool Waterfront Business Partnership, said:- "Connectivity remains a massive priority for us here at the Dock and across the wider waterfront. It is crucial that visitors can move around the City and expanding waterfront easily. Great connectivity is vitally important for the overall visitor experience, and the LCCC programme goes a long way in addressing this. We look forward to working with the City Council in realising these much needed plans for Canning Dock. As we gear up to our 175th Anniversary, in 2021, visitors will see some big changes, at the Dock, in our aim to assert its position as a world class leisure destination and a protected heritage asset for future generations. The new bridges will enhance our ambitions further."

Laura Pye, National Museums Liverpool's Director, added:- "Colleagues at National Museums Liverpool are working hard with Liverpool City Council and other partners to make the Canning Docks area more accessible to the public. We are excited about these developments to Liverpool's waterfront, which if they progress, will help both visitors and locals enjoy and learn more about Liverpool's fascinating maritime history."

The LCCC scheme, which consists of several elements, is scheduled to begin in January 2019 along this timetable:-

► January 2019 to Autumn 2019 - Victoria Street:- This will include removal of bus layovers as well as tree planting and new public realm features, creating wider footways and options for street café's.

► January 2019 to May 2019 - Moorfields:- Improving the footways and introducing new trees to enhance the area and the entrance into Moorfields Station.

► March 2019 to May 2019 - City Bus Hub:- Creating a new bus layover in Old Haymarket for buses leaving Queen Square station taking 750,000 dead miles off the road and 2,000 tonnes of CO2 out of the atmosphere.

► April 2019 to September 2019 - Brownlow Hill:- Creating a new cycle link with Lime Street, and improved public areas that create a place for enjoying and accessing the Knowledge Quarter.

► June 2019 to November 2019 - Tithebarn Street:- Includes creation of new cycleway to enhance links with Lime Street and the waterfront.

► July 2019 to November 2019 - City Coach Park:- On Riverside Drive; a dedicated facility with provision to accommodate 30 vehicles.

The 2nd stage will see the installation of the new bridges at Canning Dock, a series of highways improvements along The Strand as well as a remodelling of Lime Street, with work for these elements to begin in late 2019.

For more details about Liverpool City Council's Better Roads programme please go to:- Liverpool.Gov.UK/BetterRoads.