WORK will start this week on a £12m redevelopment of Birkenhead town centre.

Construction work is set to start on a number of different projects in the town as Wirral Council finally moves ahead with creating new cycle lanes and walking routes, improving the main high street on Grange Road and making the Charing Cross junction near the McDonalds in the town centre safer. These plans have been in development since 2022.

The funding for the scheme comes from a UK government grant to revive high streets as well as funding to support more walking and cycling from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. Work is expected to start in May and run until summer 2025 and businesses and people living in the area have been told.

From today (April 29), the council’s contractors John Graham Construction Ltd will begin setting up their sites ahead of work starting with Price Street’s car park temporarily closing while work takes place. While this car park will reopen, the redevelopment will see the loss of 50 car parking spaces at Europa Square next to the town’s bus station.

This loss of parking space is to create a safer connection for pedestrians and cyclists going between Birkenhead bus station and Conway Park railway station. £8.9m will go towards the redevelopment of Europa Boulevard and Conway Street.

Europa Boulevard will be reduced to one lane going both ways on its eastern side with a new cycle path created on the other side of the road. Pavements will also be replaced.

On Conway Street, new trees and a new segregated cycleway will be built there which will eventually connect up to similar plans to increase walking and cycling on Argyle Street and the Birkenhead waterfront at Woodside.

£2.9m is also going to go towards new pavements, trees, and pedestrian crossings on Grange Road, Birkenhead’s main high street with plans to prevent cars and vans accessing the area outside of shop loading times. A trial one-way system, previously referred to as a low traffic neighbourhood scheme, on part of Grange Road West will be introduced.

Illustrations previously published by the council show more space for outdoor seating and walking space outside the businesses in that part of the town centre. People will be able to give feedback on whether they want this to become permanent.

In 2023, Wirral Council sought public feedback on the plans which were generally supported by the 24 people who fills out the survey. This found people supported new cycle lanes and parking restrictions on Europa Boulevard as well as a bus lane on Conway Street.

However, opinion was mixed on a proposal to make Conway Street one way and a new cycle lane there with opposition to any parking restrictions. The plans for Grange Road and Grange Road West were supported by those who filled out the survey.