Liverpool’s Churchill Way Flyovers were demolished, but questions remain about the future of the remaining structures and area redevelopment.
The Churchill Way Flyovers were a major feature in Liverpool city centre for nearly fifty years. They opened in 1970 and were part of a cancelled inner city ring road scheme.
These flyovers connected Lime Street to Dale Street and Tithebarn Street, running behind the city’s museums and galleries on William Brown Street. However, in 2019, they were declared unsafe, leading Liverpool City Council to begin their demolition.
The flyovers were closed to the public in September 2018 after construction flaws were found. A detailed inspection revealed multiple significant defects that could not be fixed.
The demolition cost £6.75 million and took about three months, with the structures dismantled into 25-meter sections.
This project became part of a serious government inspection report into the city council two years later. The report revealed that a key health and safety contract for the demolition was awarded to a company run by the son of then Mayor Joe Anderson.
The report questioned why Safety Support Consultants (SSC) were given the contract, noting they had “no previous relationship with the council.”
The demolition opened up views in that part of the city centre that had been hidden for decades. However, large abutments that once connected the flyovers remain, leading locals to describe the area as an “eye-sore” and a “disgrace.”
When asked, Liverpool City Council could not provide specific timelines for the removal of the abutments. They noted that this work is complicated and could affect traffic management in the area.
A spokesperson mentioned that “the removal of the abutments presents a number of complex challenges” impacting traffic movement. The exact nature of these challenges is unclear.
However, the council discussed broader plans to regenerate the area once dominated by the flyovers, including their eventual removal.
Last year, the council announced a major plan to redesign and regenerate St George’s Gateway, a 35-hectare area from Lime Street to William Brown Street. This area includes notable buildings like St George’s Hall and the Walker Art Gallery.
St George’s Gateway has been identified as a significant regeneration opportunity, with “huge development potential” due to the removal of the Churchill Way Flyovers.
A team of experts has been appointed to explore how this area and its connections to the north of the city can be revitalized over the next decade.
The long-term project aims to create a new planning framework to unlock development, enhance public spaces, pedestrianize streets, and improve connectivity between the cultural quarter and the city centre.
A public consultation on these plans has concluded, and the feedback will help shape the new Supplementary Planning Document for the area.
This document is expected to be presented to Liverpool Council’s cabinet in the first half of 2026 for approval, marking a significant step in redesigning the city’s northern gateway.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Flyovers Opened | 1970 |
| Closure Date | September 2018 |
| Demolition Cost | £6.75 million |
| Demolition Duration | Approximately 3 months |
| Future Document Presentation | First half of 2026 |
