PUBLIC URGED TO VOTE ON NAME FOR NEW STATION IN LIVERPOOL AS NEW ARTISTS ’ IMPRESSIONS ARE REVEALED !
CGI images and a video fly-through showing what that the new station at the former St James site in Liverpool might look like have been revealed , as a vote opens to decide on its new name .
A shortlist of three potential names has been produced after initial discussions between the main partners on the scheme – Liverpool City Region Combined Authority , Network Rail , Merseyrail and Liverpool City Council .
To avoid any confusion with the existing James Street station in Liverpool city centre , a decision has been taken to pick a new name for the station that will reflect the modern area in which it will be located .
The three names to choose from are :
• Liverpool Baltic
• Liverpool Parliament Street
• Liverpool Riverside
The public vote is open until 5pm on Friday 18 February .
The artists impression CGI images and video ( which show the basis of the basic design of the station but do not necessarily reflect the final finishes and fittings ) bring to life the ticket office , cycle storage , escalators and platforms , showing what the station layout will be once completed . The original St James station opened in 1874 and was named after the nearby parish church . It closed in 1917 as a cost-cutting measure during the First World War and was never reopened .
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has pledged to build a station on the site , which will be located in one of the fastest growing areas of the city , near to the former Cains Brewery and Anglican Cathedral .
The area has undergone huge redevelopment in recent years , seeing it become home to a diverse range of over 350 creative and digital industries , with over 1,000 apartments built since 2012 and plans for at least 3,000 more , alongside the various popular creative and leisure facilities that have opened .
Giving commuters and leisure visitors to the area a direct connection to the Merseyrail network would support the reduction of car journeys to the area , contributing towards reducing traffic congestion , as well as aspirations to improve air quality across the city region . The station would be located between Liverpool Central and Brunswick Station on the Northern Line and will include passenger toilets , a cycle hub , step-free access to and between both platforms and a passenger drop-off area outside . The scheme will enter the next stage of design development in the new year . Land has already been purchased to safeguard the site of the new station ticket office building . The current plans aim for the station to be open in 2025 , subject to funding being secured for the construction stage .
Steve Rotheram , Mayor of the Liverpool City Region , said : “ I am ambitious about the future of public transport in our region and Liverpool ’ s new station – alongside another new station at Headbolt Lane in Kirkby – are only the first step towards an expanded Merseyrail . I want our region to have what London has had for years – a transport system that is affordable , reliable , and easy to use . But I also want local people to feel a sense of ownership over our system network . Our new trains are publicly owned , as is our new fleet of hydrogen buses and we ’ re working to take greater public control of the wider bus network . As part of that , we ’ d love to hear your views on what we should call this new station . This area has been one of the region ’ s success stories in recent years , transforming itself from a left behind area into a vibrant , thriving place to live work and socialise . We think that this new station helps continue that renaissance .”
Councillor Sarah Doyle , Liverpool City Council ’ s Cabinet Member for Economic Development , said : “ It ’ s exciting to see that we ’ re now at the stage of looking at designs and renaming this station . It ’ s a symbolic but hugely significant step in the journey to bringing the station back into use . A huge amount of work is going on behind the scenes to ensure this redesign works not just from a transport point of view , but also how it fits into the ongoing regeneration of the area and supports existing residential communities . Whatever name the public chooses it ’ s safe to say the station will be a real game changer in more ways than one .” merseylife . com 15