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Underground rail tunnel planned in £5bn scheme

News imageLCR Artit's impressionof how Liverpool Central station entrance could look with a huge glass roof - with gold-coloured triangles - looming over. Trees line the walk to the station, which shows people milling around.LCR
If plans go ahead an underground link could be built between Lime Street and Liverpool Central stations

The mayor of Liverpool City Region has revealed details of a £5bn plan to transform the city centre, which could include an underground tunnel between two major rail stations.

Steve Rotheram said the local authority were lobbying for a £2.5bn fund from the government and for the remaining half to come from other sources.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, he said the Central Liverpool scheme could include an underground link between Lime Street and Liverpool Central rail stations.

"It is a bit like Kings Cross and St Pancras in London, where they redesigned the whole area, that is what we want to do with the centre of Liverpool, we want to redesign it."

If the plan goes ahead, new homes, shops and public spaces will be created.

"It is about retail, about more people living in the city centre," he added.

News imageLCR Glass-fronted shopping centre with people on steps in front and trees at the side.LCR
New shops and homes could be created as part of scheme

Mr Rotheram hopes recent changes in how the government allocates funds across the country will improve Liverpool's chances of financing the proposed scheme.

"The changes mean you can build in social value as a factor, which really helps us," he said.

"If we get it right, we could get about half of that money from the Treasury and we will then find the rest ourselves."

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