WORK TO BEGIN ON MAJOR RESURFACING PROJECT AT WIRRAL COUNTRY PARK
£ 35M PLANS TO ' REVITALISE BIRKENHEAD ' SET FOR GREEN LIGHT
IN BRIEF
WORK TO BEGIN ON MAJOR RESURFACING PROJECT AT WIRRAL COUNTRY PARK
£ 35M PLANS TO ' REVITALISE BIRKENHEAD ' SET FOR GREEN LIGHT
Work will shortly start on a project to resurface and improve approximately 8,500 meters of Wirral Way ’ s pedestrian , cycle and horse-riding paths .
Around 3,500 meters of the pedestrian / cycle path will be resurfaced , with the inclusion of a camber ( slight curvature in the surface ) to improve drainage . The route has seen a large increase in visitor numbers since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic which has resulted in heavy erosion .
Resurfacing will be along seven of the most eroded sections :
• Grange Road to Church Road bridge , West Kirby ( 500 metres )
• Cubbins Green to Caldy car-park ( 160 metres )
• Croft Drive to Simonsbridge , Caldy ( 500 metres )
• Station Road bridge to Thurstaston campsite ( 340 metres )
• Campsite to the The Dungeon , Thurstaston ( 600 metres )
• Piper ’ s Lane footpath to Banks Road , Lower Heswall ( 920 metres )
• Riverbank Road to Cottage Lane , Gayton ( 480 metres )
As well as repairs to the path , some lower tree branches will be removed to improve visitor safety and emergency access along the route .
The project will start in late January and is expected to be finished in spring 2024 . For the work to be carried out safely , some sections of the Wirral Way will have to be closed to the public . Where possible the adjacent horse-riding path will be shared by all user groups .
Nine sections of the park ’ s horse-riding route , spanning approximately 5,000 meters , have also been identified for improvements . They will be levelled and rolled with hedgerows pruned to widen the path , to meet the British Horse Society ’ s recommended minimum width of three metres . Any trees removed will be replaced under the council ’ s Tree , Hedgerow and Woodland Strategy . These will be the first major improvements to the park ’ s horse-riding route in nearly 20 years .
Cllr Liz Grey , Chair of the Environment , Climate Emergency and Transport Committee at Wirral Council , said : “ Wirral Country Park welcomes more than half a million people every year , so this investment will help improve the visitor experience for all of the park ’ s users , for many years to come . The project meets Wirral Council ’ s commitment to tackling the ecological and climate crisis and will help biodiversity to thrive , as well as improving the health and wellbeing of our residents ”.
Nearly £ 35m plans to “ revitalise Birkenhead ” are expected to take their final step as Wirral Council plans to award two contractors .
Wirral Council is expected to appoint two contractors later this year to carry construction work on two major schemes that would see the Birkenhead waterfront as well as its main high street developed .
The projects have funding of £ 34.5m made up of government grants , private sector investment , and active travel funds . £ 11.9m is set aside for changes to the Charing Cross junction at the top of Grange Road with part of Grange Road West reduced to one lane as well as new footpaths and cycle routes around Conway Street and Europa Boulevard .
£ 22.7m will go towards renovating the Birkenhead waterfront and the area around Hamilton Square which is made up of government Levelling Up and Town Deal funds , Liverpool City Region Combined Authority grants , and a £ 1.1m Wirral Council contribution . This will change the area around the Woodside Ferry Terminal with a new green space created .
Councillors are being asked for the local authority to move ahead with a framework that will see two contractors appointed by officers if that is approved on January 22 . This is crucial for the schemes as more than £ 2m has to be committed to the schemes with a contractor by March 2024 .
A different route previously approved by councillors to appoint a single contractor for both schemes is now no longer recommended by councillors who said this would not be best value for money for the council . Wirral Council previously said it hoped to have a contractor appointed by the end of 2023 .
The current route using the Procure Partnerships Framework and the Pagabo Framework will bring in “ suitably qualified and experienced main contractors ” who “ will bring significant benefits and efficiencies to the process , will greatly aid project certainty , ensuring that funding deadlines are met , and the Programmes are delivered as efficiently as possible .”
Work has already started on this , despite no approval from councillors , to make sure contracts can be awarded in time . Following approval by councillors , Wirral Council ’ s Director of Regeneration , David Hughes , is expected to make the final decisions when it comes to appointing contractors with a need to “ ensure that any delay does not lead to the bidders withdrawing their interest in the contracts .”
6 wirrallife . com