A PEDESTRIAN crossing on a busy gateway into the town centre is among planned improvement works as part of a community project.

Signs have been installed on Duke Street, advertising the upcoming installation of a puffin crossing on the road.

The crossing is to be situated to the west of Hamer Street.

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Signage says it is to be situated "39 metres northwest of its junction with Rigby Street".

St Helens Star: A sign on Duke Street giving notice of the crossing's upcoming installationA sign on Duke Street giving notice of the crossing's upcoming installation (Image: St Helens Star)

The Star has reported previously on issues over congestion and obstructions caused by 'double-parked' cars on Duke Street, especially close to the takeaway establishments towards the Landings Roundabout end of the road.

The crossing forms part of improvements following a series of extensive community engagements that invited residents to "reimagine" their streets as part of the By Ours Cowley Hill Liveable Neighbourhood Project.

 ‘By Ours’ is a Freshfield Foundation-funded liveable neighbourhood scheme run in partnership with the regional Combined Authority and charity, Sustrans, to help communities reimagine their streets and support a number of council objectives, such as increasing levels of walking and cycling.

St Helens Star: Signage notifying residents of the crossing on Duke StreetSignage notifying residents of the crossing on Duke Street (Image: St Helens Star)

Also among the proposed works are to create a ‘pocket park’ at Cooper Street and a shared footway and cycleway on the edge of Bishop Road Playing Fields.

There are five overall infrastructure improvements that form part of the Liveable Neighbourhood Project, with other plans including:

  • Footway accessibility improvements across a west-east corridor from Bishop Road to North Road, with dropped kerbs
  • Junction improvements involving the provision of raised junction tables incorporating uncontrolled pedestrian crossing facilities. These also act as vertical traffic calming features. The five junctions are: Bishop Road/Wynne Road; Wynne Road/Cowley Hill Lane; Cowley Hill Lane/Windle Street; Windle Street/Stanhope Street/Morello Close and Windle Street/North Road/Lord Street