Green signal for £96m funding to develop Baltic Triangle rail station
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has given the green signal for £96m of funding to build Liverpool Baltic, a new rail station on the region’s Northern Line.
The package was approved at last Friday’s (September 20) combined authority meeting which will lead to the submission of a planning application to Liverpool City Council next month.
Pending approvals from the Department for Transport, construction will begin next year, with Metro Mayor, Steve Rotheram, pledging to have the station open by 2027.
The investment will fund the new station, alongside improvements to active travel and surrounding public spaces, following significant support from a recent public consultation.
The Liverpool Baltic station will serve one of the city’s most dynamic districts, recently named the 11th coolest neighbourhood in the world by Time Out magazine.
Plans for Liverpool Baltic include step-free access from the street to the train, passenger waiting facilities, accessible toilets, secure cycle parking, and improved links to the area’s walking and cycling networks. These enhancements aim to encourage more people to choose public transport, supporting the region’s climate goals.
Steve Rotheram said: “I’ve always said that a world-class transport network is key to unlocking the full potential of our region – and that’s exactly what we’re building. This new station at Liverpool Baltic is just another step on the journey towards making our Merseyrail system bigger, better, and more accessible for everyone.
“It’s about more than just getting from A to B – it’s about connecting people with jobs, education, and each other while cutting down on car journeys to help us hit our net-zero targets.”
He added: “We’re investing nearly £100m into a station that’s going to change the face of one of the coolest, most vibrant areas in the country – and we’re not stopping there. We’ve got plans for three more stations in Daresbury, Woodchurch, and Carr Mill.”
The development builds on the success of the £80m Headbolt Lane station, which opened last year in Kirkby. This station is served by pioneering battery-powered trains which have brought about the first extension to the Merseyrail network in a generation.
The £96m required for the station will come from the £710m City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), dedicated to major transport projects across the city region. Alongside this, funding for various active travel schemes was also approved at this month’s Combined Authority meeting.
Baltic Station is the site of the former St James station, which was closed on January 1, 1917. It was originally opened on March 1, 1874.
St James lies between Liverpool Central station and Brunswick station, on the Northern Line which connects Hunts Cross in South Liverpool with Southport to the North.
When the scheme was first mooted, in July, 2019, development costs for the station were estimated at £50bn.
