Mar 19 2009 by Helen Hunt, Liverpool Daily Post

WORK is under way on a multi-million pound scheme to solve one of the city?s biggest traffic problems.

The ?20m Hall Lane Strategic Gateway Scheme is designed to improve the route from the M62 into the city centre and remove a notorious bottleneck.

The first phase of the project involves site clearance and demolition of buildings.



It is hoped that approval for the funding for the main phase of the work will be granted by the Department for Transport at the end of next month. Work is expected to start on the second phase in June.

The scheme aims to improve the situation for traffic heading to the city centre from Edge Lane.

Currently, traffic must turn either left or right into Hall Lane or Towerlands Street?at the top of Mount Vernon Green.

Both of these routes are residential roads and traffic is often subject to delay.

Cllr Peter Millea, executive member at the city council, said: ?The scheme will provide much better access into the city centre and a much better environment for the neighbourhood.

?It will also provide a new frontage to the Royal Liverpool Hospital development and will be a much better gateway to the city.?