Constructor appointed for £18m road scheme in city

A construction company has been appointed to create a new dual carriageway on a major route into Liverpool city centre after winning a tender worth £18m.

National contractor Osborne’s Liverpool-based project team won the deal to widen the A565 – (Great Howard Street/Derby Road) with work set to begin in April.
 
The new 2.7km long stretch in the city’s Atlantic corridor is seen as crucial to a new creative village in the area – called Ten Streets – with Liverpool City Council set to announce a vision for the scheme tomorrow (Thursday, February 2).

The new dual carriageway will also pave the way for a major revamp of the historic Regent Road – aka “the Dock Road” – to make that more pedestrian and bike friendly, creating a continuous cycle route from Crosby to Liverpool.
 
Lane restrictions rather than a road closure will be deployed to minimise disruption on the A565, which is also currently having a new £10m bridge created that will enable freight to travel to and from the new £400m Liverpool2 deep water container terminal.

The scheme, which includes improved paving, traffic signals and street lighting, will complete as follows:
· Phase 1 – between King Edward Street and Blackstone Street – new dual carriageway section
· Phase 2 – between Bankhall Street to Millers Bridge – new dual carriageway section
· Phase 3 – Improvements to Regent Road – new cycle and pedestrian facilities.

Expected to finish by Spring 2019, the works are part of Liverpool City Council’s wider £250m Better Roads programme to improve the city’s road infrastructure and will be complemented by the creation of a new £20m waterfront link road at the city centre end of the A565.  

Cillr Malcom Kennedy, Liverpool’s cabinet member for regeneration, said: “The A565 is a vital artery in North Liverpool and making it a full dual carriageway is part of a much wider plan to improve the transport infrastructure and stimulate a long overdue renaissance in our Atlantic Corridor.”

John Dowsett, managing director – infrastructure at Osborne, said: ‘’This award is highly significant in our business strategy as we continue to target opportunities with forward thinking Local Authorities who recognise the importance and value of a collaborative approach with their partners and suppliers.”