Design work has been funded by the UK Government/Active Travel England Capability Fund.  The funding for this project can only be spent primarily on improvements for walking and cycling facilities. We have included junction upgrades, road re-surfacing and landscaping improvements as these can be included only if they help with the new walking and cycling improvements.  If the project is not implemented, the funding cannot be used for other road improvements, such as pothole repairs, or non-highway improvements.

Flinders Chase have been competitively appointed by Liverpool City Council to provide technical consultancy design services for the scheme. They are a local firm based in Liverpool City Centre with experience of completing similar projects. The appointment of further designers and contractors will be determined later and be subject to competition.

The route runs north-south on Vauxhall Road and Commercial Road between the junction with Tithebarn Street and Vauxhall Road in the south to the junction of Commercial Road, Sandhills Lane and Lambeth Road in the north, near the William Collins Playing Fields. 

The ambition is to extend the walking and cycling improvements to Stanley Road and link to other improvements planned in the area. The current funding available could not extend the design up to Stanley Road, but this will be progressed in the future, if extra funding from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority becomes available.

There are existing walking and cycle routes on Vauxhall Road and Commercial Road, which are a popular route for people travelling to and from the City Centre and for people using local amenities. The cycle route was improved during the COVID-19 pandemic with emergency funding to create a pop-up cycle lane.  These new improvements will upgrade the route to comply with the latest design guidance and separate pedestrians, cyclists and traffic from each other with kerbs. 

There are no safe crossing facilities at several junctions along the route for pedestrians or cyclists. The proposals include improvements to bus infrastructure and junctions to allow traffic to flow better and reduce congestion.  Funding is available specifically for these active travel improvements and Liverpool City Council would like to secure investment for this area to improve the local environment.  

The current route located along Vauxhall Road and Commercial Road is not consistent as it moves on and off-road, which makes it hard for cyclists to use. There are also many areas where cyclists travelling at speed, must share space with pedestrians. The proposals will provide a more continuous cycle route along Vauxhall Road and Commercial Road with pedestrians and cyclists kept separate wherever possible. Dedicated crossing facilities at junctions will also be included

The proposed improvements will make the cycle infrastructure better over the full length of the route and separate them from pedestrians. This will reduce the risk of collisions between cyclists and pedestrians. New dedicated, controlled pedestrian crossings have been proposed along the route and at junctions where no safe crossing facilities currently exist. Extra benches will be included for people to be able to rest, particularly for elderly people and those with disabilities.

The improvements have been designed to make active travel more accessible for every type of footpath user, including those wheeling. ‘Wheeling’ generally refers to those who use mobility scooters, wheelchairs, or other forms of wheeled aids, but can also include people walking with pushchairs. The proposals include separated pedestrian and cycle infrastructure, more safe road crossings and amended junctions to include pedestrian provision. These improvements should give people with reduced mobility, young children or those travelling with heavy shopping greater confidence to travel safely without the use of a car.

The proposals have been developed to make cycling a more appealing travel option by improving connectivity to places of learning, employment, green space, retail and leisure destinations and existing transport infrastructure. All cycle routes will be designed in accordance with LTN 1/20 "Cycle Infrastructure Design", which aims to provide facilities that are safe for cyclists to travel independently from age 8 to 80 and beyond. The cycle route will generally be 2.2 metres wide on both sides of the road and more easily swept and maintained. It will connect more seamlessly with connecting routes and have safe, dedicated crossing facilities. 

Any future development work on the enhancements will involve traffic modelling to assess the impact on the existing road network. The proposed changes could include realignment of some junctions. 

The cycle routes are still in the development stage and are subject to change. The active travel public consultation seeks to understand local views on the proposed routes and their level of impact. The proposed routes have been assessed to minimise impacts and retain the current restrictions and arrangements, as far as possible. We will aim to engage any users of any facilities that may be affected. 

The improvements have the potential to improve business efficiency, reduce people’s travel costs and stimulate the local economy. The development of cycle routes will provide travel options that, for many, are safer, more convenient, and cheaper. 

By decreasing the number of car journeys, participation in active travel can help to reduce the cost of congestion to the UK economy, which is estimated to rise to £25 billion per year by 2025. There is also considerable evidence that suggests active travel schemes represent good financial investments, making returns which range from £4.30 for every £1 spent on them. The average Benefit Cost Ratio from schemes in London providing a return of £13 for every £1 spent on them. Local businesses particularly benefit from improved walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure with high streets and local town centres increasing retail spend by up to 30% in previous studies. The rising cost of living means that people have less money to spend on transport. In comparison, the costs of walking, wheeling, and cycling are relatively low or free. 

The cycle route will provide improvements in road safety and should reduce road traffic collisions along the route. It will also provide an increase in physical activity within the area with the potential to reduce people’s risk of a range of diseases and health concerns, including heart disease, asthma, diabetes, and cancer.  It is estimated that physical inactivity has direct costs of £1 billion and indirect costs of £8.2 billion  to the NHS every year. The Local Government Association (LGA) reports that, if cycling rates were elevated to London levels across other UK cities, this would avoid at least 34,000 incidences of eight life-threatening conditions between 2017 and 2040 .

Physical activity can benefit people’s mental health too. Research suggests that just 30 minutes of daily exercise can almost halve incidences of depression and reduce stress. Exercise can even boost work productivity and has been linked to improved cognitive performance. 

When compared to travel by car, active and public transport significantly reduces or eliminates harmful emissions, and this improvement scheme on Vauxhall Road and Commercial Road will contribute to improvements in local air quality. The improvement scheme includes enhancements to the local environment with proposed new native tree planting to replace any localised tree removal, new bat boxes and other measures to enhance the range of birds and animals in this part of the city.