Liverpool Waterloo Tunnel Update 10th Feb 2008

[Waterways]

Whether there was a station there 100 years ago or not is pretty irrelevant in my eyes.
From a student's point of view, such as myself, a new 'metro' station at Byrom St (or Fontenoy) would be fantastic.
I am at Byrom St, along with around 2000 other students and hundreds of staff. The only car parking is for staff, and this is set to close in the future - I think the uni wants to encourage more 'environmentally sustainable' ways of travelling to Byrom St.
Also near this 'station' are many student flats, the Avril Robarts library, the museum, art gallery, and of course the excellent Ship & Mitre pub!



Another way of looking at this in a 'student' perspective is that this tunnel effectively ends up at Edge Hill. It is around this area that many students live, and if a new station was constructed around Smithdown, access to Byrom St for students would be easier, quicker, more 'sustainable', and help ease road congestion.

One more issue as regards this line and universities, is the even better prospect of opening a new station somewhere around the Liverpool University district, serving even more students. I know the line runs underneath The Dental University, which is more or less in the heart of the university area, but I'm not sure where the exits would be. This shouldn't be a problem though, as some underground exits are so small, you wouldn't know they were.

I have previously posted this....

If the Shanghai Tower at Princes Half-Tide Dock is approved, Merseyrail has to seriously consider reopening the Waterloo tunnel which emerges adjacent. This tower may have a cascade affect of development from it further inland too and then Byrom St may need a station at Fontenoy cutting in the tunnel.

Get the underground rail infrastructure in place and the rest will follow. This may need serious public money invested in the Merseyrail system - essential.

An outer Liverpool city centre underground circle line should be a priority to regenerate the inner city. As outlined in another thread:

• Take the Garston line at Otterspool under Otterspool Park (cut and cover). Easy to do across parkland.
  
• Into Aigburth Vale, and build an underground station here serving that centre.
  
• Down Aigburth Rd to Dingle (cut and cover again) and a station at Lark Lane, serving that centre.
  
• Up to Dingle from Lark Lane and branch into the Dingle tunnel
  
• Re-commission the disused Dingle station serving that centre.
  
• Re-commission the Dingle tunnel and install a gantry that takes the tracks to low level and back into the Garston line at the Herculaneum Dock.
  
• Abandon the St Micheal's Station and the line from Otterspool to Herculaneum.
  
• From the top of Aigburth Rd branch along Ullyet Rd and across Princes Park (cut and Cover), to Lodge Lane/Sefton Pk Rd. Easy to do across parkland.
  
• Build a station at Sefton Park Rd serving the park and that centre.
  
• Take the tunnel up Lodge Lane (cut and cover)
  
• Build a station in Lodge Lane and serve that centre.
  
• Up Tunnel Rd to Edge Hill junction.
  
• Down the Waterloo Tunnel from Edge Hill
  
• Cut out of the tunnel a new station at London Rd serving that centre
  
• Cut out of the tunnel a new station at Byrom St serving that centre
• Out at Waterloo Dock
  
• Build a station here serving that centre
  
• Branch onto the northern line and back to the city centre.

This outer city center underground loop serves many centres which would act as a catalyst for regeneration in all of them - re-generate the inner city!!!!! Two existing tunnels, the Waterloo and Dingle, would be re-commissioned alleviating much of the cost with the rest being mainly cut and cover.

It would be quite cheap for what it would offer and the re-birth of the inner city. What city has such a legacy that is easily adapted to provide such a base in which to re-generate the inner city? Most other cities in the world would drool at what Liverpool has which is already in place.