New bus lane could be introduced in Liverpool city centre

A new bus lane could be introduced at one of Liverpool city centre’s key pinch points.

Liverpool Council has launched a consultation on the installation of a new bus-only lane on Irvine Street turning into Mount Vernon Road. The lane is located in a major development area for the city, around the Knowledge Quarter, Paddington Village and the new Royal hospital.

Public views are now being sought on the proposals, which are a standalone from the wide ranging plans that could lead to further lanes being reintroduced on major routes in and out of the city centre.

According to the city council, the installation of the bus lane would help reduce congestion, and improve public transport journey times as well as improving road safety for all users including pedestrians and cyclists. It is hoped this would lead to an improvement in air quality with cars taken off the road.

A six-week consultation has now gone live on Liverpool Council’s website which will inform any future decision. The responses will be analysed and reported back to the for a final recommendation.

Should the plans be endorsed and adopted, a six month warning notice period would be in effect, with no fines issued to first-time offenders. Following Department for Transport guidelines, there will be a six-month warning notice period, where no fines will be issued for first-time offenders.

The public engagement exercise stands alone from the major transport plan that could lead to the reintroduction of priority routes for public transport unveiled by the city council last year. As part of a four year transport plan endorsed by the cabinet last September, the first step towards reintroducing bus lanes a decade on from they were first mooted to be scrapped.

Back in October 2014, then-Mayor Joe Anderson pressed ahead with plans to do away with bus lanes throughout the city following a year-long trial. The Labour administration will now seek to reverse that decision between now and 2027.

As part of the wide-ranging transport plan, a series of lanes have been identified that will be adopted as the authority seeks to encourage people to choose public transport over their cars. This will incorporate the busiest areas in the wider city region, including the 10A Liverpool to St Helens, the 86 from Liverpool to Speke and John Lennon Airport, the 53 service from Liverpool to Bootle and Crosby, the 79 route from Liverpool to Halewood and Widnes, as well as the 20/21 from Liverpool to Kirkby, Tower Hill.