A major scheme to revitalise an 8 kilometre stretch of The Wirral Way, between West Kirby and Thurstaston, is officially being unveiled to the public.
The work, which has taken seven months to complete, has been made possible with a quarter of a million pounds from Mersey Waterfront alongside £100,000 from Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
It will be a major benefit for walkers, cyclists and horseriders – and an important part of the annual 16 mile Wirral Coastal Walk. It also comes days after work began on a £1.5million regeneration project (including £584,000 from the Mersey Waterfront programme) at nearby Hoylake
Improvements to the Wirral Way include:
*The first major resurfacing of the foot/ bridlepath since Wirral Country Park opened to the public more than 30 years ago, using recycled materials
*Creating a distinct cycle route
*Cutting back trees and vegetation along the route to improve access and drainage
*Creating a better environment for a rare species of butterfly, the Dingy Skipper
*Clearer signage
Estimates suggest at least 10,000 extra visitors will be attracted to this part of Wirral Way, which links Wirral Country Park and Thurstaston Visitor Centre,“ says Louise Hopkins, Director of Mersey Waterfront. “The route will undoubtedly be used by Wirral residents, but it’s also of real regional significance.
Crucially, it will help develop the Mersey Waterfront Way which stretches along 135 kilometres of coastline from Wirral around the Mersey Estuary and north to Southport, as well as being part of the North West Coastal Trial between Chester and Carlisle.
Jim Lester, Head of Wirral Council's Leisure Services said: "Thanks to funding from Mersey Waterfront and the Local Transport Plan, the Wirral Way is now accessible to a much wider range of users. The improvements have already been a great success, with many more people enjoying Wirral’s countryside."
Engineers from Wirral Council worked closely with Wirral Rangers to ensure nesting birds were not disturbed while the improvements took place.
