A striking vision has been unveiled of how a much-anticipated new Merseyrail station in Liverpool's Baltic Triangle could look.
It has been a long-held ambition to create a new station that serves the Baltic area - one of the fastest growing parts of Liverpool.
The Baltic, which lies on the southern edge of the city centre, has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past 15 years, changing from a collection of derelict docklands warehouses to a thriving social, commercial and creative hub.
It is now home to a diverse range of over 350 creative and digital industries, with over 1,000 apartments built since 2012 and plans for at least 3,000 more, alongside the various popular creative and leisure facilities that have opened.
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Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has pledged to create the new station on the site of the former St James station, which closed in 1917 and that vision has now moved closer with the first CGI images of how a new station could look.
The station also requires a new name - and the Liverpool City Region wants people to vote for their favourite of a selection of naming options.
A shortlist of three potential names has been produced after initial discussions between the main partners on the scheme - Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Network Rail, Merseyrail and Liverpool City Council.
To avoid any confusion with the existing James Street station in Liverpool city centre, a decision has been taken to pick a new name for the station that will reflect the modern area in which it will be located.
The three names to choose from are:
- Liverpool Baltic
- Liverpool Parliament Street
- Liverpool Riverside
The public vote is open until 5pm on Friday 18 February and can be accessed on our Commonplace site at https://newliverpoolstation.commonplace.is/
The artists impression CGI images bring to life the ticket office, cycle storage, escalators and platforms, showing what the station layout will be once completed.
The original St James station opened in 1874 and was named after the nearby parish church. It closed in 1917 as a cost-cutting measure during the First World War and was never re-opened.
The redeveloped station would be located between Liverpool Central and Brunswick Station on the Northern Line and will include passenger toilets, a cycle hub, step-free access to and between both platforms and a passenger drop-off area outside.
The scheme will enter the next stage of design development in the new year.
Land has already been purchased to safeguard the site of the new station ticket office building. The current plans aim for the station to be open in 2025, subject to funding being secured for the construction stage.
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “I am ambitious about the future of public transport in our region and Liverpool’s new station – alongside another new station at Headbolt Lane in Kirkby – are only the first step towards an expanded Merseyrail for All network. I want our region to have what London has had for years – a transport system that is affordable, reliable, and easy to use.
“But I also want local people to feel a sense of ownership over our system network. Our new trains are publicly owned, as is our new fleet of hydrogen buses and we’re working to take greater public control of the wider bus network.
“As part of that, we’d love to hear your views on what we should call this new station. This area has been one of the region’s success stories in recent years, transforming itself from a left behind area into a vibrant, thriving place to live work and socialise. We think that this new station helps continue that renaissance.”
Councillor Sarah Doyle, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said: “It’s exciting to see that we’re now at the stage of looking at designs and renaming this station. It’s a symbolic but hugely significant step in the journey to bringing the station back into use.
“A huge amount of work is going on behind the scenes to ensure this redesign works not just from a transport point of view, but also how it fits into the ongoing regeneration of the area and supports existing residential communities.
“Whatever name the public chooses it’s safe to say the station will be a real game changer in more ways than one.”
Andy Heath, Managing Director at Merseyrail, said: “I’m pleased that we are able to involve the people of the Liverpool City Region in the planning of a new station on the Merseyrail network.
“Our customers are at the heart of everything we do so it seems fitting that they get the opportunity to select the name of the new station.
“The station will be a welcome addition to the area which has seen exponential growth in both creative and hospitality industries, as well as residential developments in recent years. We look forward to serving people that live, work and socialise there.”
Phil James, North West route director at Network Rail, said: "We’re calling on passengers and visitors to get involved in the consultation to name the former St James’ site that’s being brought back to life as a station.
“This new accessible transport hub - in the heart of Liverpool’s city centre - is another fantastic example of the Mayor and the Combined Authority investing in the Merseyrail network for the environmental and economic benefits it brings to the region.”
