The Queensway (Birkenhead) Mersey Tunnel is scheduled for several overnight closures for essential maintenance work. Liverpool City Region councils have also issued a series of public notices detailing significant road closures, planning applications, and licensing changes that will affect residents and commuters in the coming weeks and months.
Key Takeaways
- The Queensway (Birkenhead) Tunnel will be fully closed overnight on four consecutive nights starting from 29 September 2025.
- Princess Drive in Liverpool is set for a full closure from 4 October to 28 November 2025 for highway maintenance.
- A long-term closure will affect parts of Western Avenue and Hale Road in Speke from 3 October 2025 until 1 September 2026.
- The Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive has initiated a compulsory purchase order for seven bus depots to support its bus franchising plans.
- Numerous other notices cover licensing applications for businesses, goods vehicle operations, and planning proposals across Liverpool, Sefton, Wirral, and Knowsley.
Queensway Tunnel and Major Liverpool Road Closures
Merseytravel has confirmed a series of full overnight closures for the Queensway (Birkenhead) Mersey Tunnel to allow for essential maintenance. Commuters are advised to plan alternative routes as the tunnel will be inaccessible to all traffic during these periods.
Queensway Tunnel Maintenance Schedule
The tunnel will be closed on four consecutive nights. The specific timings are as follows:
- 29 September 2025: From 23:00 until 06:30 on 30 September.
- 30 September 2025: From 21:00 until 06:30 on 1 October.
- 1 October 2025: From 21:00 until 06:30 on 2 October.
- 2 October 2025: From 21:00 until 06:30 on 3 October.
During these closures, the Kingsway (Wallasey) Mersey Tunnel will remain open. Drivers are encouraged to allow extra time for their journeys due to the diversions.
Significant Road Closures in Liverpool
Liverpool City Council has announced several significant temporary road closures. A notice issued under Section 14 of The Road Traffic Regulation Act, 1984, details a major disruption on Princess Drive (L12/L14).
The entire length of Princess Drive will be closed to all vehicles from 4 October to 28 November 2025. This closure is necessary for Liverpool City Council contractors to carry out essential highway maintenance works. A signed diversion route will be in place for the duration of the project.
Long-Term Closure in Speke
A much longer closure is planned for parts of Western Avenue and Hale Road in Speke (L24). This will be in effect from 3 October 2025 to 1 September 2026. The closure is required to safely operate a crane during nearby development works. The affected sections are the southbound service road of Western Avenue and a 25-metre stretch of the eastbound service road of Hale Road.
Additionally, a section of Mersey Road (L17) will be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am from 29 September to 26 November 2025. This closure, affecting the road between N61 Mersey Road and a point 48m southwest of Desford Road, is also to facilitate crane operations.
Bus Franchising and Compulsory Depot Purchases
The Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive has taken a significant step towards implementing bus franchising across the region. A Compulsory Purchase Order has been made to acquire seven existing bus depots.
What is a Compulsory Purchase Order?
A Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) is a legal function in the UK that allows certain bodies to acquire land or property without the consent of the owner. It is used when the acquisition is deemed necessary for a project of public benefit, such as major infrastructure or transport improvements.
The order, made under the Transport Act 1968, is now awaiting confirmation from the Secretary of State for Transport. The goal is to secure the depots needed to provide passenger transport services under the new franchising model.
Depots Included in the Order
The seven depots targeted for compulsory purchase are located in:
- Speke
- St Helens
- Birkenhead
- Bootle
- Old Swan
- Southport
- Gillmoss
The order also includes adjacent land parcels at the Speke and Birkenhead sites to allow for future expansion. Members of the public can view a copy of the order at the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority offices at No 1 Mann Island, Liverpool.
Any objections to the order must be submitted in writing to the Secretary of State for Transport before 10 October 2025. The notice states that personal data from objections will be passed to the acquiring authority for consideration.
Planning, Licensing and Business Notices Across the Region
Councils in Sefton, Wirral, and Knowsley have also published a range of notices concerning planning, business operations, and licensing. These notices are a key part of the legal process, ensuring public transparency.
Sefton Council Notices
In Sefton, several applications for Goods Vehicle Operator's Licences have been submitted. Patry Transport Ltd is applying to use a site on Hawthorne Road, Bootle, as an operating centre for 8 vehicles and 8 trailers. Oil Salvage Ltd is seeking to add 5 extra vehicles each at its centres on Lyster Road and Brasenose Road in Bootle.
Licensing applications include one from Mustafa Pouryan for the off-premises sale of alcohol at 49 Eastbank St, Southport, and an application from Marston’s PLC to vary the premises licence for the Bootle Arms in Melling to include external areas.
Wirral Council Notices
In Wirral, Genting Casinos UK Limited has applied to vary the premises licence for the Genting Casino on Oxton Road, Birkenhead. The application seeks approval for revised floor plans to change the layout of gambling and non-gambling areas. Representations can be made to Wirral Borough Council until 7th October 2025.
Legal notices have also been published regarding the estates of deceased persons, including John Michael Roberts, Jean Ives-Keeler, James Frederick Ainslie, and Barbara Lloyd Morgan. These notices require any person with a claim against the estates to submit written particulars by mid-November 2025.
Knowsley and Liverpool City Notices
In Knowsley, UK Events (nw) group Ltd has applied to add an operating centre on Kirkby Bank Road for 4 goods vehicles and 16 trailers. A premises licence application has been submitted for a new Popeyes restaurant in Academy Business Park, Kirkby, seeking permission for late-night refreshment from 11pm to 5am daily.
In Liverpool, an application has been submitted to vary the premises licence for The Ivy & The Ivy Asia at 31 Castle Street. The variation is to update the layout and trading name. The Department for Transport has also given notice of a proposal to stop up a highway area near Stonedale Crescent and Stonebridge Lane to enable development permitted by the council.