Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and the Combined Authority submit planning application for new £100m Baltic Station in Liverpool. Tony McDonough reports

Image of how the new Liverpool Baltic Merseyrail station will look

Plans for a £100m Merseyrail station at Baltic Triangle in Liverpool have moved a step closer to reality. 

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and the Combined Authority have submitted a planning application to Liverpool City Council for the project. The aim is for construction to begin next year, with the Mayor pledging to have the station open by 2027.

This follows on from the opening of the Headbolt Lane station on the Merseyrail Kirkby Line in 2023. Other transport projects proposed by the Mayor include a new Mersey Ferry, St Helens Interchange redevelopment, bus franchising and rapid bus transit.

Additional rail schemes include future plans for three new stations at Daresbury (Halton), Woodchurch (Wirral) and Carr Mill (St Helens).

Plans for the Baltic Station, which will serve the fast-growing Baltic district and the city’s Knowledge Quarter, include step-free access from pavement to train, modern facilities, toilets and secure storage for cycling.

As part of the scheme, highways works will connect the station to surrounding areas and integrate with the city’s expanding active travel network.

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Mr Rotheram said: “For decades there were no new stations built on our network, so this is another major milestone in the development of the expansion of rail services in our region.

“Liverpool Baltic Station isn’t just about improving connectivity – it’s about creating new opportunities, connecting our communities to jobs, education, and each other, and contributing to a healthier, greener Liverpool city region.

Image of how the new Liverpool Baltic Merseyrail station will look

“This is another step in our vision to build a fully integrated London-style transport system. We’re extending Merseyrail to more communities with future stations already planned in Daresbury, Woodchurch, and Carr Mill.”

Submission of the planning application follows significant support from a recent public consultation The scheme is being funded via the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), dedicated to major transport projects across the city region.

At last month’s Combined Authority meeting, local leaders approved a new £96m funding package for the scheme, which paved the way for the planning application submission.