Forums Forums Local News Transport Experts Look Into Wirral Tramway

pointless, spend the money where it is needed.

Be very careful featuring the promenade between Seacombe and New Brighton in any 'Transport' plans as most of the land it is built on was given to the Old Wallasey corporation under a deed of covenant that stipulates that it can never be used for such purposes. These last FOR EVER. A few years ago Wilki wanted to run a 'Land Train' (like the ones they have in Spain etc) along there and despite the Council and others being all for it, there was no way of overturning or altering these deeds on this land. So however much it would seem a good idea, it has to be a non- started.

A walk along the prom from Seacombe to NB, or the other way round, in nice weather is actually very pleasant. Stopping off for a pint half way along is a bonus. If you take transport to do the same trip it wouldn't be the same. I'm glad there is a covenant on the use of the prom,good info.

slightly off topic
I think there is a deed of covenant covering the Birkenhead Institute war memorial ground in Ingleborough Road which people are getting a petition to stop Tranmere Rovers selling the land.
I think where money is involved integrity is kicked out the door
and loopholes are soon found to allow deeds of covenant to be broken

the same thing was said about stanley park , it was given to the city by a rich family . but lfc got permission to build . nothing is forever

It is very unfortunate that people "gift" lands to the public, for the public good, however they don't envisage that the gifting effectively gives it council ownership which is then an asset that the council can dispose off however they want.

Garrylee I relish your enthusiasm for the ferries and surrounding area.... but.
Apart from the U Boat, which incidentally was the idea of a former member of staff from which Neil Scales (as nice as he is) took all the credit, there is nothing left at Woodside. There was a Tourist Information Centre in the terminal,and a gift shop which did very well, the Museum at the Town Hall, the little buses which brought people down from Birkenhead town centre. Birkenhead Town Centre management worked their backsides off promoting Birkenhead market and shopping centre. There were events there e.g. Historic Vehicle Rally, Music events to co-inside with the Beatles festival. So many things were funded from EDF for a short period of time.
The cafe which had so many different contracts with different companies couldn't make it pay and the cruise prices are so expensive for a 50min family trip.
They stopped the commuter ferries in the morning from Woodside(maybe they are running again) The car park which was more used by employees of the CSA , so the ferry customers shot off to Seacombe where they could get a space and park for free. Now it's another expense ontop of the cost of the cruise. Summer might bring more passengers which is great but where do they go from the ferry? Priory isn't always open.
The cruise liners will not be queueing up. If your lucky there may be one every 10days to 2 weeks, but lets not forget that the tourism dept. have put packages together for coach trips to far and wide for the pasengers.Chester, Ness Gardens, Lancashire. This will take the passengers away from Liverpool and those who stay, may take a trip on the ferry, for a round cruise, as time is of essence when they sail again the same day.
For the trams, which probably still only run at weekends and bank holidays,they have been chunnering over extending the line for at least the last 8 years to no avail.
I believe that what they are doing is waiting for another round of free funding like the last lot of £10million, but all that eventually came to nothing as there is nothing left at Woodside now.
Sorry son, but the Ferries have struggled for years and will continue to do so as not many tourists come in the winter months and they need to encourage the local people much more.
Try to enourage them to put a winter package together for local people, who mostly, are struggling to pay their bills.The boats are still running so they may as well fill them up if they can.

A bit off topic but came across this blog about a guy who visits stations on the Merseyrail network and beyond. In his latest entry, he goes from Rock Ferry to Birkenhead North following the route of the now disused Birkenhead Dock Branch Line. It's rather depressing how run-down the environs surrounding it are, especially the Corporation Road area. Seriously in need of some regeneration.

Merseytart

It looks very depressing and no sign of anything in the future. Unfortunately out of sight out of mind, isn't it? To put anything into place for regeneration costs a fotune and takes years. Very sad, the way that areas have been allowed to decay. No doubt a big plan will turn up one day but in the meantime we sit and wait,whislt looking at more derelict sites.

Did you see the News Northwest tonight Touchstone? There you have your answer! Frank Field has intervened after someone in Wirral Council has failed to apply
for £60 million of grant towards re developement of Rok Ferry area, because they couldn't be bothered!

If Birkenhead was a picturesque villiage the Dock Branch would have been turned into a preserved railway years ago. As it stands, with the price of scrap, I'm surprised the tracks are still in situ.

I do have a feeling MerseyTravel (or it's successor) will look into recommisioning the dock branch when the Wirral Waters project gets to a certain point. The question is what type of rolling stock will they use? Tram, steel-wheel train, rubber-tyred train. And how would it be powered? Diesel, over-head electricity, 3rd rail...

Is that true?!

Yes Littlebear, his very words, I saw and heard it myself. Unbelievable isn't it?