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Liverpool flyover problem: Council engineers had recommended the southern part of the Churchill Way Flyover be pulled down to allow a stretch of tram track to be built between Dale Street and William Brown Street. They also wanted to improve pedestrian routes into the business district and believed that removing the concrete expressway would improve the visual and environmental quality of the surrounding area and eventually make Dale Street and the area around Liverpool Town Hall a traffic-free zone. These plans have been put in jeopardy by Councillor Peter Millea - the executive member who heads the department which has put forward the proposal - who has persuaded Liverpool's executive board to look at other options, such as an express busway on the flyover - which links Hunter Street and Dale Street - against the demolition advice given by his own department.

There is concern that the impasse over the future of the flyover could threaten crucial European funding for the first of the three tram routes and could also impact on the GBP750m Grosvenor re-development of Liverpool city centre, which links in with the tram scheme on Paradise Street.

It is also likely that the submission of the Transport & Works Act application will be delayed as will the start of consultation for Line 2 which was due this Autumn.

20 August 2003

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